THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GREEN  BLUFF. 


A  TEMPERANCE  STORY. 


BY  T.  N.  SOPKE, 


BOSTON: 
RAND,  AVERY,  AND  COMPANY. 

FRANKLIN    PRESS. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  CongmM,  In  the  year  1874,  by 

T.    N.    8OPEE, 
to  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congrew,  at  Washington.  D.  (X 


RAND,    AVERY,    AND    COMPANY,    PRINTERS, 

117    FKANKI.IN    >TKi;i    1 


HV 

£"C 


, 
PREFACE. 


THK  object  of  this  little  volume  is  two-fold : 
First,  to  add  a  drop  toward  swelling  the  tide 
against  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors.  Secoml, 
to  furnish  means  for  the  support  of  one  de- 
prived of  sight  since  early  infancy.  It  is  hoped 
these  objects  will  gain  for  it  access  to  many 
homes. 

The  Author  would  not  prejudge  his  own 
work,  by  offering  here  any  apology  for  its 
appearance  ;  but  hopes  adverse  criticism  will 
be  withheld  until  his  story  is  told. 

The  incidents  herein  related  are  not  only  true 
to  life,  but  true  in  fact,  for  the  most  part. 


1350668 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.— Green  Bluff— Its  Beauty —  Advantage!  of 

Total  Prohibition 9 

II.— Carpenter  Stone'a  Family— The  Effects  of 

Sober  Industry 2t 

III. — Mr.  Thomas,  the  Covetous  Man 40 

IV.— Walter   Stone's    Character  — A    Miner    In 

Danger. 62 

'  .V.— The  Rivals— Success  of  Charlie  Hayes 60 

"  VL— Thanksgiving  at  Green  Bluff— Dr.  Thomas 
and  Charlie  Hayes  gain  Applause — Bene- 
fits of  Prohibitory  Laws...- 71 

"         VII.— Thanksgiving  Dinner  at  Mr.  Stone's  — Dr. 

Thomas  and  Lucy  Stone 79 

VIIL— Danger  of  the  First  Glass— Power  of  Appe- 
tite       88 

"  IX.— License,  or  No  License — Discussion  in  Town 

Council 101 

X.— The  Saloon  Opened— The  Keeper  Argues 

his  Case  Correctly 122 

"  XL— The  First  Step  the  Fatal  One— The  Mali- 
ciousness of  the  Saloon  Keeper 132 

"          XII. — Mr.  Thomas  Lets  a  Room  for  a  Saloon — 

Strange  Arguments 144 

XIII. — Pernicious  Effects  of  Respectable  (?)  Saloons 

and  Billiard  Halls 152 

XIV.— Expense  of  Liquor  Traffic 164 

XV. — Charlie  Hayes  in  Danger — Walter  Stone'a 

Reward— Sober  Habits  a  Good  Capital..    170 
XVI.— Dark  Scenes— The  Liquor  Traffic  the  Cause    190 
*      XVII. — Mr.  Thomas  reaps  the  Fruit  of  hu  Sowing 

— Lucy  Stone  Suffers 204 

"  XVIII  —Conclusion.  Green  Bluff  as  it  Now  la- 
Lucy  Stone's  Future— Walter's  Gain — 
The  Cur&e  of  the  Traffic  in  Ardent 
Spirit* 219 


GREEN  BLUFF 


CHAPTER  L 

IT  was  at  the  close  of  day,  in  early 
fall,  when  we  first  saw  Green  Bluff 
It  was  then  a  village  of  a  few  hundred 
inhabitants,  lying  among  the  hills  of 
our  adopted  State.  Nature  had  lavish 
ed  her  stores  of  loveliness  on  the  whole 
landscape. 

In  the  centre  of  the  town  was  the 
public  square,  which  consisted  of  sev- 
eral acres  of  land,  inclosed  by  a  plain, 
neat  fence.  In  this  square  were  large 
oak  and  ash  trees,  placed  there  years 
before  by  the  original  settlers.  Beneath 
these  stretched  the  velvety  sward  of 


10  GREEN    BLUFF. 

green,  relieved  by  the  gravel  walks 
that  wound  in  and  out  among  the  trees, 
affording  delightful  promenades  for  all 
classes,  after  the  toil  of  the  day  was 
over.  On  the  north  and  south  sides  of 
this  square  were  two  large  wells,  situa- 
ted just  inside  the  inclosure.  From 
each  of  these  extended  a  spout,  leading 
to  a  huge  trough  outside  the  fence, 
where  the  farmer-traders  watered  their 
horses,  and  where  the  lads  of  the  village 
held  high  carnival,  morning  and  even- 
ing, as  they  brought  the  sleek,  spirited 
steeds  of  the  more  wealthy  to  water. 
Here,  too,  the  tired  laborer,  or  thirsty 
traveler,  slaked  his  thirst  from  the  huge 
iron  ladle  that  hung  suspended  by  a 
chain  from  the  oaken  pump — without 
charge  and  without  hurt. 

On  the  evening  of   which  we  write-, 
the  promenades  were  filled  with  children 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  11 

at  play,  while  here  and  there  under  the 
trees  were   groups   of    men  —  laboring 
men  —  who,   on    their  way  home  from 
work,  had  stopped  for  a  draught  of  the 
clear,  cold,  refreshing,  life-giving  "bever- 
age furnished  by  the  great  Creator  for 
his  creatures,   and   now  were  chatting 
cheerfully  of  their  work,  their  families, 
and  news  of  various  kinds.     They  were 
dusty,  sun-burnt  and  hard-handed,  but 
beneath  the  dusty,  brown  exterior,  there 
was  true  nobility.     The  bony  hand  told 
of  days  of  toil  for  others — for  wife,  for 
children,  for  civilization.     It  was  with 
them   a  badge   of  truest  manhood,  of 
warmest   heart    and    tenderest   feeling. 
As  the  shadows  lengthened,  they  parted 
and  wended  their  ways  homeward.    Into 
some  of  their  homes  we  afterward  went, 
and  of  their  beauty  and  real  joyfulnesa 
vve  will  tell  by  and  by. 


12  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Down  one  of  the  wide,  quiet  streets 
we  wandered.  It  led  us  by  the  ceiue 
tery.  The  sexton  —  old,  gray -haired, 
but  buoyant  in  spirit,  and  nimble  in 
movement  —  kindly  received  us,  and 
pointed  out  the  places  of  interest,  and 
gave  us  a  brief  account  of  each. 

"This,"  he  said,  pointing  to  a  tall 
monument  of  beautiful  design  and  fine 
workmanship,  "  marks  the  place  where 
Mr.  Green  was  buried.  It  was  put  up 
by  the  mechanics.  Mr.  Green  (he  built 
that  school-house  over  yonder,  where 
you  see  the  spire  glittering.  Just  be- 
fore he  died,  he  willed  the  whole  thino-, 

o" 

house  and  all,  to  the  town,  to  be  used 
for  a  school  for  the  poor — this  is  what 
the  mechanics — and  other  men,  too  — 
but  the  mechanics  went  ahead  in  the 
matter — this  is  what  they  did  for  him) 
— he  had  some  very  queer  notions  about 


A   TEiiPEjtJ^tTCE   STOEY.  13 

Borne  things ;  very  good  notions,  I  think 
— ^it  some  people  think  them  very 
quL'ir,  One  of  his  ideas  was,  that  a 
man  ihat  swore  or  got  diunk,  weren't 
fit  tc  train  up  children.  So,  as  long  as 
he  li,'3d,  he  would  never  l«t  any  man 
teach  vn  that  house  that  did  either ;  and, 
in  his  will  he  provided  that  the  town 
should  gi7e  up  the  property,  if  the  trus- 
tees elected  should  employ  a  man  that 
did  either.  I  tell  you,  sir,  that  man 
done  more  than  I  can  tell  for  this  place 
in  his  day.  You  saw  the  public  square, 
did  you  ?  "Well,  that  was  some  of  his 
work.  He  paid  for  half  of  that  ground 
out  of  his  own  pocket.  He  always 
argued  that  such  things  were  great 
helps  toward  keeping  men  sober." 

"  Haven't  you  any  whisky  shops  in 
town?" 

"  Not  one,  sir — not  one.    There  nevei 


14  GREEN    BLUFF. 

was  one  here,  and  I  hope  never  will 
be" 

"Why  are  you  so  decided  in  your 
wish  that  there  may  never  be  one  es- 
tablished here  ?  It  is  thought  by  many 
that  they  are  a  benefit  to  a  community 
—  they  increase  the  business  of  the 
place." 

"  That  may  be  ;  guess  it  is  true :  but, 
sir,  it  doesn't  pay ;  I  say,  it  doesn't  pay 
at  all.  Just  compare  our  neighboring 
towns  with  this.  Take  Middleville,  for 
instance.  It  has  more  business,  I  know, 
but  one-third  of  it  is  destroying  what 
may  be  done  by  the  rest.  They  have 
their  lock-up  and  two  or  three  police 
every  day  We  have  neither  lock-up 
or  police — don't  need  them.  They  have 
disturbances  on  street  every  night  al- 
most, and  the  Sabbath,  there,  is  no 
more  than  any  other  day,  to  many  ;  foi 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  15 

there  is  an  endless  amount  of  street 
lounging,  and  horse-racing,  and  whoop 
ing,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Why, 
last  Christmas  I  was  there  on  some 
business,  and  was  never  so  ashamed  of 
myself  in  all  my  life  before.  I  was 
ashamed  I  was  a  man.  There  was  a 
group  of  drunk  men  every  few  rods  on 
the  streets,  and  they  were  uttering  all 
kinds  of  bad  talk.  That  is  not  half 
strong  enough  to  put  it — but,  sir,  it  was 
awful  [  I  saw  several  ladies  compelled 
to  go  out  into  the  mud  and  water,  in 
the  middle  of  the  street,  to  pass  the 
crowds  on  the  sidewalk.  All  this  time 
the  half-crazed  wretches — excuse  me, 
sir,  I  don't  mean  to  be  rough  on  them, 
but  I  can't  call  them  any  less — these 
wretches  actually  clapped  their  hands 
in  delight  when  they  saw  the  ladies 
splashing  through  the  mud.  Where 


16  GREEN   BLUFF. 

were  the  officers?  They  were  half- 
tipsy,  too,  and  took  care  not  to  see  the 
quarrels  or  to  hear  the  obscene  talk. 
That  is  the  kind  of  business  they  have 
there.  Such  things  happen  every  pub- 
lic day — at  elections,  and  such  like. 
No,  sir,  Green  Bluff  never  had  any  such 
times,  and  I  hope  it  never  will." 

While  repeating  these  words,  the  old 
sexton  was  rapidly  walking  to  and  fro 
before  his  little  cottage,  to  which  we 
had  come.  The  tone  and  gestures 
plainly  indicated  how  earnest  he  was 
in  his  protest. 

After  further  conversation  with  him, 
in  which  he  told  of  the  happy,  quiet 
Sabbaths,  of  the  well-filled  church,  the 
attentive,  neatly-attired  worshipers,  the 
Bible  class  that  met  Sabbath  after- 
noon, of  the  brotherly  kindness  existing 
among  the  people  of  this  beautiful  vil- 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  17 

lage,  of  the  thrift  of  all  classes,  we  left 
to  go  to  our  boarding-house,  or  hotel. 
Here  we  found  no  bar-room,  no  loung- 
ers, no  smoking,  swearing,  gaming ;  but 
instead  there  was  a  reading-room,  well 
lighted,  with  walls  ornamented,  not 
with  lewd  pictures,  but  with  beautiful 
landscapes,  chaste  ideal  scenes.  The 
guests  were  seated  at  the  long  table 
extruding  the  whole  length  of  the 
room,  writing,  or  reading  the  late  papers 
and  magazines,  of  which  there  was  a 
good  supply. 

Thus  engaged,  time  flew  rapidly,  and 
we  were  surprised  when  the  old-fash- 
ioned clock  on  the  shelf  struck  the  hour 
of  ten.  Soon  the  guests  were  in  their 
rooms,  and  sleep  shut  out  thoughts  of 
either  the  beautiful  town  or  its  happy 
Inhabitants. 

The  next  day  was  Sabbath.    Nothing 


18  GREEN  BLUFF. 

disturbed  its  sweet  stillness  save  the 
sound  of  the  church  bells  and  the  pat- 
ter of  feet  of  the  worshipers  going  to 
and  from  the  house  of  God.  Were  all 
the  people  attendants  at  church  ?  No 
Were  all  temperate,  or  abstainers  from 
intoxicating  drink?  No;  but  public 
opinion  was  so  strong  against  the  use 
of  whisky  or  wine,  or  any  drink  of  like 
nature,  that  one  would  as  soon  openly 
steal  as  to  become  intoxicated,  or  even 
be  seen  using  such  beverages.  All  were 
not  habitual  attendants  at  church,  yet 
this  same  high-toned  opinion  prevailed 
with  reference  to  Sabbath  desecration, 
so  there  was  a  powerful  restraining 
influence  exerted  in  that  direction  too. 
When  men's  minds  are  not  beclouded 
by  stimulants  and  their  baser  nature 
aroused  by  their  influence,  it  is  easy  for 
the  Word  of  God  to  move  them  toward 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  19 

the  right.  Hence  the  quiet  condition 
of  Green  Bluff.  The  village  pastors 
found  it  easy  to  persuade  the  youth  to 
attend  Bible  school  and  public  worship, 
for  there  was  no  counter-influence  at 
work.  At  the  Bible  school  we  found 
not  the  children  only,  but,  as  intimated 
the  young  men  and  ladies, were  there 
too. 

We  purpose  not  to  give  a  full  de- 
scription of  this  charming  village ;  but 
only  to  present  a  brief  outline  of  it,  and 
let  the  reader  fill  up  according  to  fancy, 
assuring  him  that  he  can  not  overdraw 
the  picture. 

Now  we  would  introduce  one  of  its 
inhabitants,  and  let  him  and  his  family 
tell  of  their  joy;  and  from  them,  too 
you  will  learn  of  other  attractions  of 
Green  Bluff! 


20  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  LUCY,  my  dear,  will  you  put  your 
book  aside  now — see,  the  sun  is  nearly 
down — and  start  the  fire  in  the  kitchen  ? 
Father  and  Walter  will  soon  be  home," 
So  said  Mrs.  Stone  to  her  daughter. 

"  Yes,  mother."  Without  a  moment's 
hesitation  the  request  was  complied 
with,  while  Lucy,  singing  gaily,  filled 
the  house  with  sunshine. 

Scarce  had  the  sound  of  the  hissing 
kettle  began,  before  a  step  was  heard, 
fcnd  Lucy  bounded  away  to  meet  the 
comer.  He  was  a  noble-looking  lad,  her 
senior  by  several  years.  His  form  was 
attractive;  his  face  beamed  with  hap- 
piness; his  forehead,  high  and  broad, 
told  of  unusual  intellect.  Black  with 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  21 

the  dust  of  the  mine  (for  he  was  a  col- 
lier), he  was  none  the  less  attractive  to 
the  maiden  that  stood  by  his  side,  with 
both  arms  around  his  neck,  putting  one, 
two,  three  kisses  on  his  lips,  despite  the 
dust  that  clung  all  around  them. 

"Be  careful,"  he  said,  in  mock  sever- 
ity, "you  will  muss  me  all  up;  he 
pushed  her  from  him,  and  hastened  in- 
to the  house,  but  not  to  stay,  for  in  a 
few  minutes  he  returned  to  the  door- 
step,  where  Lucy  sat,  and  placing  him- 
self  by  her  side  said, 

"Now,  Miss,  having  removed  my 
royal  robe  of  black,  I  am  ready  to  be 
entertained  or  to  entertain;  but  first 
take  back  the  'bussie  or  two'  you  gave 
me  "  this  e'en ; "  and  without  more  ado 
he  pressed  his  lips  against  the  fair  face 
of  the  maiden,  who  blushed  scarlet  in 
spite  of  herself. 


22  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"Royalty,"  she  said,  is  clothed  in  pur 
pie  and  fine  linen,  and  not  in  black." 

"  Our  King  robes  himself  in  black, 
and  we,  his  courtiers,  think  ourselves 
honored  when  we  can  be  clothed  like 
him." 

"  Who  is  your  King,  that  you  follow 
so  closely.  I  would  love  to  see  him." 

"  You  can  not  see  him,  but  his  works 
you  see  every  where.  Judge  of  his 
power  and  strength  by  these :  The 
grandest  cities  that  the  world  has  ever 
known  were  reared  by  him ;  the  might- 
iest navies  owe  their  existence  to  him ; 
the  most  delicate  fabric  you  wear  is 
the  result  of  his  fiat;  on  his  should evs 
he  carries  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
He " 

"  Well,  what  is  his  name  ?  Tell  me 
that  before  you  continue  your  eulogy," 
she  said,  grasping  his  arm,  with  which 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  23 

he  was  making  impressive  gestures,  as 
he  stood  before  her  mocking  the  pub- 
lic orator  in  deep  tones  and  impassioned 


manner." 


"  I  am  speaking  of  his  majesty,  Kihg 
Labor." 

"  But  our  friends  just  across  the  way 
would  not  agree  with  you.  Labor  to 
them  is  an  ignoble  slave." 

"  Which  is  the  greater,  the  created  or 
Creator?  the  supported  or  supporter?" 

"The  Creator,  of  course." 

"  Well,  then,  since  all  their  wealth  is 
the  result  of  labor,  is  not  he  that  wields 
this  influence  greater  in  the  true  sense 
than  he  that  is  the  passive  recipient  of 
the  result?' 

"Your  logic  and  eloquence  are  alike 
irresistible,"  she  said,  with  a  smile;  but 
let  us  drop  this  discussion  and  talk 
of  something  less  weighty.  Woman's 


24  GREEN   BLUFF. 

mind,  you  know,  is  not  able  to  grasp 
these  great  problems,  so  don't  let  us 
waste  our  time  in  such  futile  attempts. 
That  is,  I  mustn't  waste  my  time." 

She  drew  him  to  a  seat  beside  her 
and  confidingly  put  her  head  on  his 
shoulder,  saying, 

"  I  have  been  ever  so  happj'  since 
school  this  afternoon.  It  was  the  mid- 
dle of  the  session,  you  know,  and  the 
time  for  reports.  When  we  were  all  in 
the  Seminary  chapel,  Mr.  Clarkson  read 
the  standing  of  each  one  in  all  the 
studies — when  he  came  to  my  name, 
what  do  you  think  I  got  ? " 

"  Your  standing  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  but  how  high  ? " 

"  Up  stairs,  I  guess. " 

"  I  got  nine :  ten  is  perfect,  you  know. 
More  than  you  would  get  for  your  witti- 
cisms, unless  you  do  better  than  now. w 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  25 

u  That  reminds  me  that  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  mines  was  down  to  see 
us  to  day.  What  do  you  think  he 
promised  me?" 

"  Increase  of  wages  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  promotion." 

"  Oh,  Walter !  Tell  me  all  about  it." 

"Well,  it  seems  that  Mr.  Gray,  the 
'boss'  of  our  mine,  is  going  to  leave 
soon  to  take  charge  of  several  mines  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  some  one  must  take 
his  place.  He  recommended  me  to  the 
superintendent,  because,  as  I  afterward 
learned,  I  was  not  addicted  to  the  use 
cf  any  kind  of  intoxicating  liquor." 

"  Do  the  other  miners  drink  ? " 

"  Nearly  all  of  them.  They  send  to 
Middleville  every  week  for  a  supply  of 
whisky  and  beer.  They  don't  dare 
drink  enough  to  make  themselves  drunk, 
but  I  can  see  that  the  desire  for  it  ia 


26  GREEN   BLUFF. 

growing  on  them.  And,  what  is  worse, 
they  cannot  do  as  much  work  now  as 
formerly,  and  they,  of  course,  are  los- 
ing in  their  wages  daily." 

"Walter,  tell  me,  my  dearest,  you 
will  never  touch  any  thing  of  the  kind, 
will  you?" 

Her  arms  clung  closely  around  his 
neck,  and,  with  a  tear  in  her  mild  Hue 
eye,  she  gazed  at  him  earnestly,  tremb- 
lingly. 

"  Never,  my  dear.  Have  no  fear  for 
me.  Well,  as  I  was  going  to  say,  my 
wages  will  be  nearly  or  quite  double 
what  they  are  now,  and  I  will  have  but 
little  work  to  do." 

"  How  strange  that  you  should  be 
selected  for  that  place  when  you  are  so 
young — only  twenty  last  month.  What 
will  mother  say  ?  Won't  she  be  proud 
of  her  boy." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  27 

"You  would  make  me  vain,  sister, 
if  I  did  not  make  allowance  for  the 
magnifying  power  of  the  glasses  your 
affection  wears." 

"There  is  no  danger  of  your  being 
vain.  Only  the  ignorant  are  vain." 

"  Worse  and  worse.  In  trying  to 
atone  foi  flattering  me,  you  -increase  the 
offence." 

"  Offence !     Do  I  offend  you  ? " 

"No,  dear,  you  speak  what  you 
tli ink;  hut  you  think  more  highly 
than  you  ought." 

"  I  have  a  right  to  think  a  great  deal 
of  my  own  darling  brother,  haven't  1 2 
Who  is  so  kind,  so  true  as  he?" 

"  There  go,  now ;  mother  calls  you." 
With  her  characteristic  promptness  she 
hastened  to  obey  the  summons  of  her 
mother.  Walter  remained  on  the  door- 
step until  his  father  came  from  his 


28  GREEN    BLUFF. 

shop.  They  then  entered  the  house, 
and  there  talked  of  their  future.  To 
them  both  it  was  rose-tinted.  Mr. 
Stone,  a  mechanic  of  considerable  tal- 
ent, had  always  received  a  good  share 
of  the  patronage  of  the  villagers.  The 
day  of  which  we  write,  he  had  just  re- 
ceived a  job  which  promised  him  steady 
employment  all  Winter  in  the  shop, 
and  constant  work  the  coming  Spring 
and  Summer. 

The  tea  was  announced  as  ready. 
The  happy  family  gathered  around 
the  table — spread  with  luxuries?  No. 
The  meal  was  frugal,  but  temptingly 
prepared.  The  bread,  snowy  white 
and  light  as  possible;  the  butter,  a 
rich  golden  hue,  and  sweet-scented; 
the  milk,  yellow  with  richness ;  the  tea, 
savory  in  the  extreme ;  cold  sliced  ham 
and  cold  beefs  tongue,  with  sauce  of 


1   TEMPERANCE    S10RY.  29 

apples,  constituted  the  main  part  of  the 
fare.  Plain?  Yes;  but  a  morsel  with 
quietness  is  better  than  rich  viands 
amidst  contentions.  Why  did  the  hour 
at  the  table  seem  so  brief  that  evening  ? 
Was  it  not  because  each  was  intent 
on  supplying  every  means  possible  to 
furnish  pleasure  for  the  other  ? 

As  they  gathered  about  the  board, 
Mr.  Stone  remarked, 

"  Walter  tells  me,  mother  (Mr.  Stone 
always  called  his  wife  mother),  that  he 
lias  promise  of  promotion  and  increase 
of  wages." 

"So  Lucy  says,"  answered  his  wife. 
'•  Well,  I  believe  he  deserves  both,  and 
I  am  sure  he  will  not  prove  hirnsell 
mi  worthy  the  trust  bestowed." 

She  looked,  admiringly,  lovingly  at 
her  son. 

"I  have  already  begun  to  build  air 


30  GREEN    BLUFF. 

castles.,  mother;  that  is,  you  will  call 
them  such,  but  I  hope  they  will  be 
realities.  I  have  thought  of  many 
comforts  I  can  furnish  you,  which  you 
have  not  now.  And,  if  I  can  only 
retain  that  place,  I  hope  to  have  enough 
laid  by  to  keep  you  and  father  in  your 
old  days." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  glanced  at  each 
other,  and  a  tear  might  have  been  seen 
trembling  in  their  eye  as  they  thought 
of  this  feeling  of  affection  in  their  son. 
He  noticed  nothing  of  this  as  he  turned 
to  his  sister,  and  with  a  warmth  rarely 
seen,  he  said, 

"As  for  Lucy,  to-day,  while  lying  flat 
on  my  back  in  the  mine  picking  at  the 
hard  coal  above  me,  I  thought  out  what 
I  would  do  for  her.  This  quiet,  coun- 
trified life  is  not  the  kind  for  her.  She 
must  go  to  school,  to  college.  Then,  if 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  31 

she  wants  to,  she  can  come  here  and 
teach  in  our  school.  She  would  be 
strong  enough  on  the  temperance  ques- 
tion for  Mr.  Green's  school  trustees, 
wouldn't  she?  Wouldn't  you?"  he 
said,  turning  from  addressing  his  par- 
ents to  his  sister. 

"I  hope  so;  but  Walter,  dear,  you 
are  too  imaginative  and  sanguine.  If 
you  do  half  what  you  propose,  you 
would  have  nothing  left  for  self." 

"  Well,  I  was  just  saying  if  I  had  the 
means  I  would  do  this.  It  is  pleasant 
to  think  about  what  we  would  do  if  we 
could,  you  know." 

Thus  they  talked  until  the  church 
bell  warned  them  of  the  meeting  for 
singing.  Walter  was  made  to  lead, 
just  as  some  are  made  to  follow.  In  the 
singing  he  was  leader.  Not  because  he 
was  better  acquainted  with  the  science 


GREEN    BLUFF. 


and  art  of  singing,  but  because  there 
was  in  him  those  traits  of  character  that 
mark  the  natural  leader.  Here,  too, 
success  attended  him,  Having  the  con- 
fidence, we  may  say  the  love  of  the 
whole  church,  he  exerted  an  influence 
over  them  that  was  really  marvelous 
in  one  so  young.  The  elder  members 
yielded  to  his  opinion  as  they  would 
to  a  superior.  The  younger  portion  of 
the  church  followed  him  as  they  would 
an  older  brother. 

When  the  two  were  gone,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Stone  drew  near  to  the  cheerful 
fire,  blazing  and  crackling  on  the  heartii. 

"Just  twenty-five  years  ago,  my  dear, 
since  we  entered  life  together.  We've 
not  had  much  of  this  world's  good ; 
but  yet  we've  had  enough.  Want  haa 
never  stared  us  in  the  face  since  the 
time  we  moved  into  this  little  home. 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY.  33 

Don't  I  remember  the  time  well.  I 
thought  no  one  had  so  pretty  a  wife 
us  I,  nor  none  so  spry. 

"How  joyous  were  those  days!  I 
remember  the  first  cloud  that  passed 
over  us.  It  was  when  we  put  little 
Jt-ssie  in  the  cold  grave.  She  was  the 
first  to  come  and  the  first  to  go.  But, 
then  we  must  not  mourn,"  he  said, 
wiping  away  a  tear,  "God  has  spared 
to  us  Lucy  and  Walter.  Two  as  good 
Children  as  ever  'parents  had,  if  I  do 
say  it  myself.  Walter  has  no  bad  traits 
about  him,  as  I  know  of,  unless  it  is 
that  lie  is  too  generous." 

"That  is  not  a  fault,  surely!"  said 
Mrs.  Stone. 

"  No,  not  a  fault,  I  guess ;  but,  some- 
times, I  can't  help  feeling  afraid  it.  will 
K-iid  him  astray.  He  is  so  well  liked 
generally  among  his  associates,  that  it 


84  GREEN    BLUFF. 

gives  him  great  advantage  over  them , 
but,  then,  he  is  so  kind  that  he  would 
suffer  wrong  rather  than  wound  their 
feelings." 

"  I  understand  the  cause  of  your  fear, 
my  dear;  and  I  thought  at  supper,  when 
he  was  telling  what  he  meant  to  do  with 
his  earnings,  that  the  same  spirit  thnt 

would  lead  him  to  do  so  much  for  us 

*• 

and  his  sister,  might,  if  perverted,  cause 
him  to  give  all  his  strength  to  riotous 
living.  Somehow  I  have  felt  sad  so 
often  when  thinking  of  this." 

"  Well,  there  is  only  one  way  in  which 
we  can  guard  off  the  wrong.  We  can 
give  our  precious  boy  into  the  hands  of 
God.  He  can  keep  him  in  the  right." 

"Yes;  He  can  keep  him  in  the  right,' 
repeated  Mrs.  Stone;  "and  1  long  so 
earnestly  to  know  that  he  has  given  hi* 
heart  with  all  its  noble  impulses  to  God.' 


A    TEMPERAKCE    STORY.  35 

;<  You  but  speak  the  longings  of  ray 
heart,  dea,r  wife ;  he  is  not  safe  until 
that  is  done." 

"How  thankful  I  am,  that  Green 
Bluff  is  so  free  from  temptation,  in  the 
way  of  saloons  and  rowdyism." 

;<  You  don't  think  our  Walter  would 
be  influenced  by  such  things,-  do  you  ? " 

Mr.  Stone's  manner,  when  asking  this 
question,  was  one  of  surprise  and  pain. 

"Why,  no;  but,  then,  I  am  glad  that 
he  is  entirely  safe  from  all  such  influ- 
ences. We  do  not  know  when  or  how 
they  may  become  too  strong." 

"  I  know,  I  know,"  he  said,  and  for 
some  minutes  he  sat  musing.  Finally, 
lifting  his  head,  and  looking  upward, 
while  one  hand  was  pressed  heavily 
against  his  eyes,  as  if  he  would  shut 
out  some  horrible  vision,  he  said,  in  a 
low  tone,  "Father  of  mercy,  save  him  !  " 


86  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"My  dear,  are  you  ill?"  his  wifo 
asked  excitedly,  hastening  to  him,  when 
she  heard  the  suppressed  groan,  but  did 
not  hear  the  words'. 

"  No,  wife ;  I  was  only  thinking  how 
our  poor  old  hearts  would  bleed  and 
break,  if  our  boy  should  ever  become  a 
drunkard." 

"  Oh !  that  can  never  be ! "  she  said. 

How  often  do  we  feel  the  coldness 
which  the  shadow  of  coming  evil  throws 
across  our  way.  How  often,  too,  is  this 
shadow  imaginary.  We  are  frightened 
by  fears  of  calamities  that  never  come. 
Yet,  are  not  these  premature  fears  angels 
of  mercy  to  us  frequently  ?  Do  they  not 
quicken  our  watchfulness,  or  arouse  us 
from  stupor  ?  Who  can  say  that  many 
disasters  have  not  been  turned  aside  by 
prayers  wrung  from  the  hearts  of  the  im- 
periled, or  their  friends,  by  vague  fears  1 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  37 

After  a  few  minutes1  silence,  Mr. 
Stone,  suddenly  arousing  from  his  rev- 
erie, said,  "  Mother,  let  us  pray." 

They  both  knelt,  and  for  a  moment 
or  two  poured  out  thoir  souls  to  God, 
after  which,  Mr.  Stone  prayed  aloud, 
imploring  God's  protection  for  their 
children,  and  especially  for.  their  son. 
The  prayer  was  the  deep  utterance  of  a 
soul  agonized  with  a  sense  of  its  help- 
lessness and  a  feeling  of  greatest  need. 
When  they  arose  from. their  knees,  the 
cloud  had  given  place  to  sunshine. 

"Oh!  my  dear!"  said  the  wife,  "1 
feel  so  secure  in  the  arms  of  the  Great 
God — my  Father.  He  can  keep  our 
precious  children,  and  will,  I  believe. 
The  load  of  fear  is  all  gone,  now." 

"Just  as  I  feel,"  he  replied.  "The 
Power  that  has  kept  us  all  these  years, 
will  surely  keep  us  to  the  end  of  the 


38  GREEN    BLUFF. 

| 

race,  and  admit  us  to  His  own  loved 
presence  at  last,  and  bring  our  chil- 
dren to  us  by-and-by,  when  their  work 
is  done." 

"  If  we  are  only  faithful." 

"  We  must  be." 

"We  will  be." 

"  Drawing  their  chairs  near  together, 
in  the  light  of  the  cheerful  fire,  they 
talked  of  youthful  days,  of  childhood 
scenes,  boyish  pranks,  girlish  fancies. 
Had  one  been  hid,  so  as  to  hear  the 
words  and  not  see  the  gray  heads  so 
near  to  each  other,  and  the  wrinkled 
hands  clasped  together,  he  would  have 
supposed  scarce  a  fortnight  had  passed 
since  the  vows  of  mutual  fidelity  and 
love  were  made  —  they  were  so  warm 
and  affectionate.  This  was  as  it  should 
be. 

The  clock  had  scarce  told  the  hour  of 


A   TESfPEEANCE    STORY.  39 

• 

nine,  when  Walter  and  Lucy  returned 
from  singing. 

"  We  have  been  waiting  for  you, 
dears,  so  you  could  sing  us  one  of  those 
good  old  songs  before  we  went  to  bed." 

"  What  shall  we  sing  to-night,  moth- 
er?" said  Lucy,  seating  herself  on  the 
lounge  by  her  and  gently  pressing  her 
lips  to  her  forehead  and  then  to  her 
lips. 

"  My  favorite." 

They  then  sang  with  great  feeling : 

"  Guide  me,  0  then  Great  Jehovah, 

Pilgrim  through  this  barren  land  ; 
I  am  weak — hut  thou  art  mighty  ; 
Hold  me  with  thy  powerful  hand. 

Bread  of  heaven, 
Feed  me  till  I  want  no  more. 

"Open,  now,  the  crystal  fountain, 

Whence  the  healing  waters  flow ; 
Let  the  fiery,  cloudy  pillar, 

Lead  me  all  my  journey  through. 

Strong  Deliverer ! 
fie  thou  still  my  strength  and  shield.'' 


40  GREEN    BLUFF 


CHAPTER  JJI. 

THERE  was  a  Judas  Iscariot  among 
the  twelve  apostles,  but  his  treachery 
did  not  stain  the  character  of  his  com- 
rades. In  the  Church  of  Christ  in  these 
days  there  may  be  found  men  as  treach- 
erous as  he,  yet  their  evil  deeds  need 
not  mar  ^the  character  of  their  brothers. 

Why  did  Judas  betray  the  Master? 
Because  he  hated  Him  ?  No.  He  car- 
ried the  bag,  we  are  told ;  he  was  the 
treasurer,  and  a  greedy  man.  The  love 
of  gain  was  the  ruling  passion  in  him. 
It  was  for  thirty  pieces  that  he  betrayed 
his  Lord.  But  was  there  no  palliation 
for  the  crime  ?  Certainly.  He  had  seen 
his  Master  convey  himself  mysteriously 
out  of  the  multitude  when  they  sought 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  41 

to  slay  him ;  and  could  lie  not  deliver 
himself  out  of  the  hands  of  the  soldiers 
that  should  seek  him?  Besides,  had 
not  his  Master  said  that  he  must  be  be- 
trayed, and  must  die?  Then,  since  he 
mutt  be  betrayed  and  must  die,  why 
might  not  Judas  gain  a  little  ?  Would 
it  not  increase  the  amount  in  the  treas- 
ury? Surely,  these  were  strong  argu- 
ments. So  men  in  these  days  argue. 
They,  greedy  for  gain,  sell  safety  of 
family,  Church  and  State,  to  the  devil, 
hoping  that  some  fortuitous  event  will 

deliver  their  innocent  victims  from  the 

i 

power  of  the  hands  in  which  they  have 
been  placed.  Do  you  know  any  such  ? 

***** 
"  Oh !  dear  me !  I  am  so  tired  of  darn- 
ing this  carpet.     It  keeps  me  half  my 
time  working  to  keep   things  mended 
up,  and  then  they  aren't  half  decent.   If 


42  QEEEir   BLUFF. 

Mr.  Thomas  just  cared  half  as  much  for 
me  and  the  house  here,  as  he  does  for 
his  money,  things  wouldn't  be  half  as 
bad  as  they  are.  I  have  half  a  mind  to 
ask  him  at  dinner  to  get  a  new  carpet 
for  the  front  room,  and  let  me  take  that 
one  for  the  sitting-room,  and  this  one  for 
the  kitchen.  If  he  just  would !  If  he 
would,  I  would  be  half-crazy  with  joy. 
I  believe  I  will  ask  him.  He  will  be 
half-mad,  I  know,  but  then  it  wouldn't 
be  half  as  bad  as  to  be  working  myself 
half  dead,  always  darning  this'old  car- 
pet, that  ain't  worth  half  a  cent  hardly." 
Mrs.  Thomas  was  talking  to  herself 
as  she  sat  on  the  floor  of  the  sitting- 
room,  working  sway  at  the  carpet  She 
was  Mr.  Thomas'  second  wife.  His  first 
had  been  dead  many  years.  She  left 
him  one  child,  a  boj.  He  married  the 
woman,  now  his  wife,  soon  after  his  first 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  43 

loss.  She  was  but  a  girl  then,  and  was 
attracted  by  his  wealth,  and  not  by  love 
for  him.  He  idolized  his  child.  His 
wife  was  not  a  sharer  in  his  affections. 
Of  course  he  was  kind  to  her — that  is, 
he  was  considerate  enough  to  furnish 
her  comfortable  clothes  and  sufficient 
to  eat,  but  he  expected  and  exacted 
the  closest  economy  on  her  part.  If 
every  thing  was  nice  and  in  order  at 
home,  when  he  came  to  eat  and  sleep, 
he  was  pleasant.  If  things  were  other- 
wise, so  was  he. 

Abroad,  from  home,  he  was  known  as 
8,  close  dealer,  a  shrewd  tradesman,  a 
successful  merchant.  At  church,  he  was 
known  as  a  faithful  attendant,  a  devout 
worshiper.  He  owned  some  half-dozen 
commodious  store  rooms,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  making  preparations  to  build 
three  others.  Mr.  Stone  had  secured 
this  job. 


44  GREEN  BLUFF. 

"  A  letter  from  John,  to-day,"  he  said 
to  his  wife,  as  he  seated  himself  at  the 
dinner- table. 

"Had  you?"  She  said  no  more. 
She  knew  he  would  tell  her  of  its  con- 
tents, if  of  any  importance  to  her,  and 
would  do  so  as  soon  without  her  asking 
as  he  would  with  it. 

"  He  graduates  next  summer." 

"Does  he?" 

"  He  will  come  home,  then,  to  stay." 

"Will  he?" 

"  I  intend  to  fit  him  up  a  fine  office, 
in  my  new  brick." 

"You  do?" 

"  If  education  is  anything,  he  will  be 
the  smartest  doctor  in  these  parts." 

"He  will?" 

Thus  the  conversation  went  on,  with 
a  short  interval  between  each  statement 
by  Mr.  Thomas  and  response  by  hia 


A   TEMPERANCE   STOKY.  45 

wife,  who  never  ventured  an  answer 
beyond  monosyllables,  until  dinner  was 
over.  "\\  hen  Mr.  Thomas  arose  to  go, 
his  wife  ventured  to  say, 

"Mr.  Thomas" 

"  Well,  what  is  it  ?" 

He  stood  with  hat  in  one  hand,  while 
the  other  grasped  the  door  knob. 

"I  was  just  thinking  that" 

She  paused  to  see  if  it  was  safe  to 
proceed  further  in  her  request.  Being 
assured  by  his  pleasant  appearance,  she 
continued, 

"  I  was  just  thinking  that  this  car 
pet  was  nearly  darned  into  pieces." 

"  Why,  I  had  not  noticed  it — but 
what  of  that?" 

"  I  was  just  thinking  it  wouldn't  be 
half  so  Imd  if  we — you — had  a  new  one 
for  the  kitchen." 

"What's  that?  A  carpet  for  the 
kitchen  !  a  new  carpet  fo"  the  kitchen  !" 


4  GREEN    BLUFF. 

She  had  never  ventured  so  far  before, 
and  she  was  so  frightened  at  her  own 
boldness  that  she  forgot  all  about  the 
way  she  intended  to  have  a  better  car- 
pet for  the  dining-rooin. 

"You  are  half-beside  yourself!  "  He 
put  on  his  hat  and  walked  out. 

His  wife  did  what  she  could  not  help 
doing — she  cried.  She  wiped  the  tears 
away,  and  choking  down  her  grief  be- 
gan to  clear  away  the  dinner-dishes, 
when  the  door  suddenly  opened,  and 
Mr.  Thomas  stood  before  her. 

"  Marg'ret  —  how  now  !  Been  cry- 
ing ?  Any  thing  gone  wrong  ?  " 

"Everything  goes  wrong !"  she  felt 
like  saying,  but  instead  replied,  "  Noth- 
ing— are  my  eyes  red  ? " 

"  I  came  back  to  say,  that  John  thinks 
of  coming  home  to  spend  Thanksgiving 
and  I  want  things  to  look  sort  o'uice. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  47 

He  is  going  to  bring  one  of  his  chums 
with  Liin." 

"I  tell  you,  Mr.  Thomas,"  his  wife 
said,  summoning  up  all  her  courage, 
"  if  I  had  a  little  " — her  courage  faltered. 

"A  little  what?" 

"  If  I  had  a  little  money,  I  could  make 
things  look  half  as  good  again  as  they 
now  look,  and  not  work  half  as  hard. 
John  will  not  he  half  pleased,  if  he  has 
to  brinsr  his  friend  on  this  half-worn- 

O 

out  carpet." 

This  she  said  as  rapidly  as  possible, 
lest  her  courage  should  give  out  before 
she  had  finished  what  she  had  to  say. 

"  It  does  look  rather  dingy — that's 
so,"  said  her  husband,  to  her  great  as- 
tonishment. "  Do  you  want  a  carpet 
for  the  kitchen,  and  this  room,  too?" 

Surprised  beyond  measure  by  this 
burst  of  liberality  of  expression — if  not 


GREEN    BLUFF. 

intention — she  quickly  said,  "  Yes,"  and 
then  hastily  corrected  herself,  for  fear 
she  had  gone  too  far. 

"No — only  one;  one  for  the  parlor. 
Then  I  will  take  the  parlor  carpet  for 
this  room,  and  this  carpet  for  the  kitch- 
en. That's  what  I  meant  to  say  at 
first."  She  was  trembling  all  through 
her  frame,  when  she  had  finished  this 
sentence.  She  feared  something  —  she 
could  not  tell  what. 

"  Well,  I  will  send  one  up  to-day. 
John  must  have  things  nice.  How 
many  yards?'" 

"  Thirty." 

He  did  not  stop  to  inquire  whether 
she  would  like  to  go  down  and  select  the 
pattern;  neither  did  she  suggest  that 
such  a  thing  would  be  proper  for  him  to 
do.  To  have  a  new  carpet,  was  victory 
enough  for  one  day.  It  was  not  for  her 
that  be  bought  it:  it  was  for  John. 


A   TEMPERANCE    6TOBY.  49 

Mr  Thomas  hastened  to  his  office. 
He  found  the  minister  awaiting  his  ar- 
rival. He  greeted  him  cordially. 

"  Fine  day,  sir !  fine  day ! "  he  said, 
punching  the  fire,  and  putting  on  more 
coal. 

"  Very  comfortable  in  here,  but  quite 
cool  out-doors." 

"  I  didn't  feel  the  cold,  much,  coming 
from  dinner."  He  put  aside  his  heavy 
coat,  and  laid  his  fur  gloves  on  the  top 
of  the  desk. 

"Presume  not;  but  yet  it  is  quite 
cold  for  the  first  part  of  November." 

After  a  short  pause,  the  visitor  re- 
sumed— "At  least,  I  have  found  it  so, 
as  I  have  been  out  making  pastoral 
calls,  to-day." 

"  Ah ! " 

"  Yes.  I  found  one  family  in  a  very 
distressed  condition." 

"  Indeed  1" 


50  GREEN    BLUFF,, 

He  turned  to  his  desk  and  began  to 
write,  as  if  to  cut  short  further  conver- 
sation. Nothing  daunted  by  this  act, 
the  minister  continued — 

"  Colbert  has  not  been  able  to  work  for 
a  week  or  more,  and  as  his  family  are  de- 
pendent on  his  labor  for  their  support, 
and  as  he  is  getting  small  wages  in  th*» 
mine  lately,  this  cold  snap  has  caught 
them  without  any  wood  or  provisions." 

"  Indeed !  Why  the  town  ought  to 
see  to  them." 

"  There  is  no  officer  appointed  for  such 
business,  I  believe,  by  the  town ;  but,  as 
that  is'  a  part  of  a  minister's  duty,  I  have 
taken  it  upon  myself  to  see  to  it." 

"  Yes ;  I  be  lieve  ministers  ought  to 
look  after  the  poor  of  the  Church." 

He  was  writing  rapidly  all  the  time. 

"  Just  so.  Now,  Brother  Thomas, 
what  will  you  do  to  help  us '  see  to  it  V  " 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  51 

He  kept  on  writing,  but  found  time 
to  say — 

"  Well,  really,  I  would  like  to  do 
something,  of  course — but  (still  writing 
away  as  for  life) — but  I  guess  you  will 
have  to  excuse  me  for  this  time.  I  am 
building,  you  know,  and  can't  spare  the 
money,  now."  He  stopped,  raised  his 
spectacles,  and  smiling  blandly  on  his 
visitor,  said,  "It  is  a  very  worthy  ob- 
ject, and  you  have  my  best  wishes. 
Hope  you  will  get  all  you  want.  Have 
vou  asked  Mr.  Stone  for  help  ?  He  is 
generally  ready  for  such  things." 

"  I  did,  sir,  and  he  gave  me  five  dol- 
lars, without  a  moment's  hesitation." 

"  Just  like  him !  I  thought  he  would 
fcelp."  He  smiled  complacently. 

"Hope  you  will  call  again.  Good 
afternoon."  Smiling  and  bowing,  he 
showed  his  visitor  out  of  the  door. 


52  GREEK    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  wind  was  blowing  furiously,  and 
the  snow  falling  thick  and  fast,  piling 
up  in  great  drifts  here  and  there,  inter- 
cepting travel,  and  forcing  its  way  into 
every  nook  and  crevice.  The  well-to-do 
wr?  bcarcely  prepared  for  so  sudden 
a  st^rm,  while  the  poor  were  actually 
BUilering  on  account  of  its  suddenness 
and  seventy. 

At  Mr.  Stone's,  the  family  were  gath- 
ered around  the  tea-table,  and,  as  usual, 
formed  a  picture  of  perfect  happiness. 
For  several  da/s,  Walter  had  been  oc- 
cupying his  new  position,  and  giving 
great  satisfaction  to  the  superintendent 
and  proprietors.  Each  evening  he  had 
something  interesting  to  tell  of  the  work 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  53 

or  the  workmen.  At  times  he  came 
home  in  an  unusually  thoughtful  mood, 
which  was  a  warning  for  the  family  to 
prepare  for  a  recital  of  some  project  for 
i  he  help  of  some  of  the  men  or  theii 
families. 

This  evening,  leaning  back  and  push- 
ing his  plate  from  him,  he  said :  "  I 
am  uneasy  about  Colbert;  he  has  not 
been  to  the  mine  for 'a  week !  I  believe 
I  will  go  to  see  him;  perhaps  he  is 
sick." 

"  I  know  he  is,"  said  Mr.  Stone,  "  for 
to-day  the  minister  came  to  me  for  assis- 
tance, to  buy  some  wood  and  provision 
for  the  family.  I  meant  to  tell  you 
before,  but  it  slipped  my  mind." 

"  Well,  that  settles  it.  I  must  go 
right  over  there." 

"Not  to-night,  Walter?"  said  Lucy, 
sorrowfully  and  inquiringly.  "  See  how 


54  GREEN    BLUFF. 

it  storms!"  she  said,  going  to  the  win 
dow  and  peering  out. 

"The  very  time  I  should  go.  Per- 
haps, they  are  suffering  and  need  help. 
Now,  dear,  you  just  put  up  some  of  that 
good  bread  and  butter  and  meat,  and 
I  will  take  it  over  to  them.  The  little 
ones  will  be  glad  to  get  it,  if  Colbert 
and  his  wife  are  not.  Guess  they'll  not 
object  very  seriously.  Don't  be  uneasy 
if  I  do  not  come  back  soon.  Good-by  ! " 
So  saying,  he  kissed  mother  and  sister, 
and,  buttoning  his  great  coat  close  up 
to  his  neck,  he  started. 

It  was  a  half-hour's  walk  that  night, 
as  the  drifts  had  made  it  almost  impass- 
able. He  found  Colbert  sick,  indeed :  a 
fever  raged,  and  he  was  quite  delirious. 
The  snow  beat  in  at  the  windows  and 
the  door,  but  the  room  was  comfort- 
able, as  the  wood  procured  by  the  kind 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  5C 

V  was  already  at  hand,  and  a  part 
of  it  *oared  in  the  stove  and  sent  out  a 
genial  warmth. 

Mrs.  Colbert  sat  at  the  bed-side  weep- 
ing, while  the  children,  (three  in  mini- 
1  H-I-)  clung  affrighted  to  her.  Provision 
had  been  brought ;  but  the  wild  state 
of  her  husband  prevented  her  prepar- 
iiio-  it.  Walter  took  her  place  beside 

O  A 

the  sick  man,  while  she  gratefully  re- 
ceived the  basket  of  food,  and,  quieted 
by  her  friend's  appearance,  proceeded 
to  spread  the  table  for  the  children, 
who  ate  heartily,  having  had  nothing 
save  a  crust  or  two  in  the  morning. 

It  was  toward  dawn  when  Colbert 
opened  his  eyes  and  recognized  Walter 
by  his  bed. 

"Ah!  'boss,'  it's  a  bad  go  for  me; 
bad  go." 

" I  see  it  is.     How  came  you  so?" 


56  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  I  took  a  severe  cold,  a  week  or  more 
ago,  and  this  is  the  end." 

"How  did  that  happen  ?" 

"  A  few  of  us  men  were  over  to  Mid- 
dleville,  one  night,  and  we  didn't  get 
back  till  late.  It  was  a  rainy  time — 
awful  roads.  All  got  wet.  We  walked, 
you  see,  and  that  made  it  worse." 

"  He  was  the  sickest  man  I  ever  saw, 
when  he  came  home,"  said  his  wife. 
"  He  could  hardly  stand  alone  when  he 
came  in.  I  had  sat  up  to  wait  for  him. 
I  didn't  know  he  would  stay  long.  He 
was  just  wet  all  over,  and  seemed  so 
limber  like.  He  went  to  bed,  and  has 
been  there  ever  since.  Poor  man ! " 

She  leaned  forward  and  kissed  the 
brow  of  her  husband.  He  turned  his 
•head  away  and  remained  silent. 

"That  is  the  way  he  always  does 
whenever  I  say 'anything  about  hi§i 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  57 

getting  sick,"  she  said  in  a  low  tone 
to  Walter.  "  He  seems  so  ashamed 
that  he  'give  out'  that  night.  Says  he, 
yesterday,  'Now.  wife,  don't  tell  any 
one  how  I  came  in  the  house  so  weak. 
The  boys  will  make  fun  of  me  for 
being  so  no  'count  like,  if  they  hear 
it.'  Poor  man  !  he  has  worked  himself 
to  death,  most.  For  some  time  he  has 
complained  of  feeling  bad  whenever  he 
would  come  home  from  the  mine. 
He  says  he  can't  earn  as  much  now 
before,  because  he  can't  work  as 
well.  Indeed,  for  more'n  a  week  he 
has  given  me  about  half  as  much  as  he 
used  to.  Things  look  terrible  gloomy 
for  me  an'  the  children — if  there  isn't 
a  change  pretty  soon.  He  is  so  kind 
to  us." 

Here  tears,  which  had  struggled  for 
vent,  gushed  out,  and  her  voice  quiv- 


(.8  GREEN    BLUFF. 

( red  so  much  she  could  not  talk. 
L  id  been  said  in  a  half  whisper.) 

Walter  replied :  "  Never  mind !  there 
is  a  brighter  time  coming,  Mrs.  Colbert. 
I  will  try  to  help  your  husband  all  I 
can.  I  think  I  know  the  cause  of  his 
ailment,  and  I  will  talk  to  the  doctor 
About  it.  You  see  I  know  how  it  is 
in  the  mines." 

"  Do  you  really  think  he  will  get 
well?"  she  asked,  anxiously. 

"  Oh,  yes :  he  will  be  up  in  a  few 
days.  But  I  must  go  now,  as  it  is  nearly 
daybreak.  I  will  tell  sister  Lucy,  and 
she  will  come  over  and  stay  with  you 
awhile  to-day.  The  storm  has  ceased," 
he  said,  opening  the  door.  "  God  bless 
you,  Mrs.  Colbert." 

Again  he  was  trudging  homeward, 
weary  in  body,  but  buoyant  in  spirit. 
Throwing  himself  upon  the  lounge  in 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  69 

• 

the  sitting-room,  near  the  blazing  fire 
that  Mr.  Stone  had  built  in  anticipation 
of  his  son's  return,  he  soon  fell  asleep, 
and  slept  soundly  until  two  hours  after- 
ward, when  he  was  wakened  by  the 
pressure  of  lips  to  his  own. 

"  Come,  my  precious  boy,  and  eat 
the  warm  breakfast  your  mother  has 
prepared  for  you." 

"It  is  worth  a  night's  watching  by 
the  sick  to  be  wakened  that  way,"  he 
said,  rising  and  putting  his  arm  around 
his  mother  and  drawing  her  close  to 
him. 


60  GREEN  BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"THREE  weeks  from  to-day,  children, 
is  Thanksgiving.  I  have  concluded  to 
have  no  school  on  that  day.  Of  course  ? 
Yes ;  for  you  know  we  never  do  have 
school  on  such  days.  But  that  is  not 
what  I  was  going  to  say.  I  was  going 
to  say,  we  would  not  have  any  school  on 
the  day  before  Thanksgiving,  either. 

"  Here,  you  little  bovs  O^M*  there  in 
the  corner,  just  keep  quiet,  please ;  you 
are  net  dismissed  yet. 

"  Well,  that  is  not  exactly  what  I  was 
going  to  say  yet.  I  meant  to  say,  that 
we  teachers  have  concluded  to  give  you 
a  treat  on  that  day. 

u  Don't  be  smiling  so  loud  over  that 
way,  boys — and  you,  girls,  don't  look 
so  disappointed 


A   TEMPERANCE   STOEY.  61 

"We  are  not  going  to  treat  you  to 
candies,  and  cakes,  and  pies,  and  all 
such  things. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  now,  little  chil 
dren !  you,  there,  on  the  front  row  of 
seats  ?  Where  are  all  those  smiles  you 
had  a  minute  ago ! 

"  We  intend  to  have  a  literary  treat. 
You  little  folks  don't  understand  that, 
do  you  ?  Well  just  wait,  and  you  will 
see  what  it  means.  Come,  young  ladies 
and  gentlemen,  be  cheerful,  for  you  will 
not  have  to  write  compositions  or  ora- 
tions, or  declaim,  unless  you  want  to. 
Now,  all  that  are  willing  to  prepare  an 
oration  or  a  declamation,  please  rise  to 
heir  feet.  None  up !  Well,  that  seems 
to  furnish  poor  prospect  for  entertain- 
ment. Very  well,  though.  Now  for 
some  thing  else.  The  trustees  have  de- 
cided to  give  twenty  dollars  in  gold  foi 


62  GREEN    BLUFF. 

the  best  delivered  oration  or  declama- 
tion, and  have  appointed  the  day  before 
Thanksgiving  as  the  trial  day.  They 
desired  to  have  the  whole  male  portion 
of  the  school  compete  for  the  prize :  that 
is  all  those  who  have  entered  the  Junior 
department.  But  you  have  decided  dif- 
ferently. Now  I  wish  you  to  select" • 

"Please,  sir,"  said  a  student  rising, 
let  us  vote  on  that  again." 

"  No,  sir ;  be  seated  and  listen  to  my 
proposition.  I  wish  you  to  select,  by 
vote,  two  of  your  number  who  will  com- 
pete for  this  prize.  They  are  to  pre- 
pare a  declamation,  if  from  the  Junior 
Department ;  or  an  oratioD,  if  from  the 
Senior.  Whom  will  you  nominate  ? " 

There  was  a  pause  for  a  second,  when 
several  voices  at  once  said  : 

"  Charlie  Hayes." 

"Very  good  for  one;  now  for  the 
other,"  said  the  teacher 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  63 

Another  pause,  when  the  name  of 
Judas  Jambres  was  proposed.  There 
were  no  other  names  presented ;  so  these 
wo  lads,  aged  fourteen  and  sixteen 
respectively,  were  the  competitors. 

"Charlie  Hayes  is  not  present  thi» 
afternoon,"  said  the  teacher.  "  Can  anj 
one  tell  me  why?" 

"Please,  sir,"  said  John  Jaccol,  "he 
was  compelled  to  remain  at  home,  as 
his  mother  is  quite  ill." 

"A  good  excuse,  certainly.  And  let 
me  say,  just  here,  boys,  that  it  is  a  mark 
of  true  manhood  to  be  kind  and  obedi 
ent  to  your  parents,  and  to  your  mothei 
especially.  You  are  dismissed." 

"Which    will   get   the   prize?"    was 
asked  by  each   pupil,  of  half  a  doze' 
others,   and   received   various   answer. 
The    unanimous     opinion     among    the 
greater  portion  was,  that  Charlie  Hayea 
w  fluid  be  the  fortunate  one. 


64  GREEN   BLUFF. 

"  Wish  lie  would,"  said  John  Jaccol, 
cause  he  needs  the  money.  He  and  his 
mother  have  had  a  hard  time  to  make  a 
livin'."- 

"  He'll  get  it — sure  pop,"  said  another 
— "  for  he  beats  in  every  thing." 

"That's-  so,  to  a  T,"  said  another. 
"I'd  'bout  as  lief  work  'gainst  stone 
wall  as  'gainst  him." 

"  He  ain't  like  most  boys,  either ;  he 
always  goes  right  home  from  school,  to 
see  if  his  mother  don't  want  nothing, 
and  then  he  comes  back  to  the  play- 
ground, if  she  don't,"  said  John. 

"Seems  to  me,  you  boys  have  forgot 
most  all  your  grammar,  from  the  way 
you  talk.  A  body  would  suppose^you 
belonged  to  Primary  instead  of  Junior." 

"  You  hold  your  tongue,  Sam  !  We 
ain't  talking  grammar,  now ;  we're  talk- 
ing about  Charlie  Hayes,  and  the  prize. 


A   TEMPERANCE    8TOR3T.  65 

You  needn't  say  much;  you  don't  know 
any  more  grammar  than  we.  You  said 
'  forgot !'  instead  of  forgotten."  So  said 
one  of  the  students. 

It  was  evident  from  their  conversa- 
tion that  Charlie  was  a  favorite  among 
them,  on  account  of  his  gentlemanly 
manners  and  studious  habits.  As  one 
of  the  boys  said,  "  he  always  beat  in 
every  thing." 

He  was  tall,  for  his  age;  had  light 
hair  and  eyes;  fair  face,  with  a  ruddy 
spot  on  each  cheek.  Scrupulously  neat 
in  dress,  and  naturally  graceful  in 
movement,  he  was  universally  admired, 
not  only  for  his  intrinsic  worth,  but 
also  for  his  appearance.  At  home,  he 
was  an  example  of  devotion  to  his 
mother  and  younger  sister.  His  mother, 
though  delicate,  earned  sufficient  funds 
by  sewing,  to  keep  her  family  in  food 


68  GREEN  BLUFF. 

and  clothing.  She  looked  longingly 
into  the  future,  hoping  that  her  dear 
boy  would,  in  time,  grow  to  the  man 
she  pictured  in  her  imagination.  "  Will 
he  ? "  she  often  asked  herself. 

The  day  for  the  trial  came  at  last. 
At  an  early  hour  the  chapel  of  Green 
Bluff  Seminary  was  filled  by  anxious 
spectators.  The  competitors  sat  on  a 
front  seat,  in  full  view  of  all,  and  the 
centre  of  attraction  to  all. 

Charlie  was  calm  and  unembarrass- 
ed, and  apparently  forgetful  of  all  sur- 
roundings. A  seat  or  two  from  him 
sat  his  mother  and  sister.  His  mother's 
head  was  bowed,  and  occasionally  her 
lips  moved  as  if  in  prayer.  Charlie 
was  forgetful  of  all,  apparently,  save  of 
tli is  lady.  Ever  and  anon  he  glanced 
that  way,  and  seemed  longing  for  a  look 
from  her.  He  felt  that  with  the  beue 


A   TEMPERANCE    STOBY.  67 

diction  of  her  eyes  only  he  could  be 
calm  and  brave — and  successful;  that 
is,  he  knew  he  could  declaim  every 
word  of  his  selection. 

Judas  was  more  careless.  He  glanced 
at  every  new  comer,  and  nodded  famil- 
iarly at  acquaintances  as  they  came  in. 
He  was  a  genius,  and  knew  it.  His 
talent  as  a  decl aimer  was  known  by  all, 
as  he  had  won  many  laurels  on  similar 
occasions.  He  felt  his  ability,  and  could 
have  no  fear  of  failure. 

The  hour  for  commencing  drew  near. 
The  hall  was  full,  and  yet  more  came. 
The  doorway  was  crowded,  and  many 
stood  without,  despite  the  cold.  It  was 
evidently  a  gala  day  for  Green  Bluff. 
The  five  trustees,  who  were  also  to  be 
judges  in  this,  came  and  took  theii 
seats  on  the  platform. 

Judas  spoke  first.    A  suppressed  che^r 


68  GREEN    BLUFF. 

greeted  liis  appearance.  The  careless 
manner  lie  wore  a  few  minutes  previous, 
gave  place  to  a  calm,  dignified  look,  that 
won  the  hearts  of  many.  His  opening 
sentences  fell  like  music  upon  the  car, 
and  hushed  every  breath  of  noise.  Gra- 
dually, but  surely,  he  won  the  minds 
and  hearts  of  those  that  listened,  and 
carried  them  on,  as  the  rapid,  rushing 
river  bears  onward  the  leaf  on  its  waves. 
He  closed  amidst  bursts  of  applause. 

Then  Charlie  arose.  For  a  moment 
he  stood  and  looked  over  his  audience, 
as  a  general  views  the  enemy's  fortifica- 
tions. In  many  of  the  upturned  faces 
he  read  his  doom,  as  the  incredulous 
smile  that  played  over  their  counte- 
nances said,  "  Judas  has  the  prize — you 
need  not  try."  Glancing  but  a  second 
at  the  seat  where  sat  his  mother,  his 
eye  met  hers,  and  there  he  read  such 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  6'o 

depth  of  faith  in  his  ability,  that  a  new 
spirit  seemed  to  breathe  in  him. 

Back  from  his  white  forehead  his- 
light  locks  were  thrown,  from  his  eye 
beamed  a  fire  that  seemed  to  burn  the 
eye  it  met.  He  spoke,  and  silence  fell 
on  all  again  as  at  first. 

The  lad  seemed  moie  than  human  as 
he  threw  new  life  into  words  that  often 
before  had  been  declaimed  from  the 
same  place. 

His  theme  was  pathetic  and  tragic  by 
turns,  as  it  was  a  picture  of  a  drunk- 
ard's doom.  He  finished.  Scores  sat 
weeping,  and  many  leaned  forward,  as  if 
drawn  by  some  invisible  power  toward 
the  youthful  speaker.  No  applause 
greeted  him. 

The  judges  retired  for  consultation. 
Scarce  a  minute  elapsed  until  they  re- 
turned, and  made  known  their  decision 
to  the  principal. 


70  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Few  were  the  words  that  had  been 
spoken  since  the  speaker  ceased.  All 
*vere  intensely  anxious  to  know  the  de- 
ision.  The  principal  arose  and  said  : 

"Charles  Hayes" 

Applause  after  applause  burst  from 
lips  that  before  had  seemed  sealed,  and 
strong  arm£  gathered  up  the  lad  and 
lifted  him  on  the  platform  in  view  of  all, 
before  the  principal  could  finish  his  sen 
tence.  When  quiet  was  restored,  he  said, 

"Charles  Hayes  receives  the  prize." 

Again  were  cheers  repeated  in  rapid 
succession,  while  Judas,  almost  wild 
with  delight,  grasped  the  hand  of  his 
young  conqueror,  and,  swinging  his  hat 
above  his  head,  cheered  more  lustily 
than  any,  forgetting  the  place  and  time 
in  his  joy.  Judas  had  no  selfish  blood 
in  him,  notwithstanding  his  name. 

That  was  a  joyful  night  at  Mra 
Hayes' ' 


A   TEMPERANCE    STOET.  71 


CHAPTER  VL 

THANKSGIVING  day  was  a  time  as 
eagerly  watched  for  as  Christmas,  both 
by  young  and  old  of  Green  Bluff.  This 
year  it  was  destined  to  be  more  than 
usually  joyous.  Arrangements  had 
been  made,  by  which  the  customary 
sermon  was  to  give  place"  to  a  variety 
of  exercises  in  the  town  hall. 

The  day  dawned  bright  and  cold. 
The  snow  covered  the  earth  and  man- 
tled every  tree  and  shrub,  glistening  in 
the  sunlight,  but  refusing  to  disappear 
beneath  his  warm  rays. 

From  the  mansion  of  the  wealthy  and 
the  cot  of  the  humble  but  noble  day 
laborer,  parents  and  children  hastened 
to  the  place  of  assembly.  The  clergy, 


72  GREEN    BLUFF. 

town-officers,  and  the  speakers  of  the 
day,  occupied  the  platform.  In  front  of 
them  the  Sabbath  Schools  were  seated. 
A  more  lovely  scene  can  scarcely  be 
imagined  than  that  of  scores  of  children, 
neatly,  tastefully,  comfortably  clad, 
gathered  together  to  praise  the  Great 
God  in  song.  Back  of  these  were  the 
older  people — the  mechanic  and  mer- 
chant, the  collier  and  banker,  side  by 
side  in  the  social  gathering,  as  they 
of  necessity  must  be  in  the  business 
world. 

Most  conspicuous  among  the  speakers 
for  the  day,  was  Dr.  John  Thomas.  His 
manner  was  prepossessing  in  the  ex- 
treme. High  and  broad  his  forehead, 
dark  and  keen  his  eye,  and  musical  his 
voice,  he  could  not  fail  to  attract  atten- 
tion wherever  he  appeared. 

The    programme   called    for    prayer, 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  73 

son^s,   recitations    and    orations.      For 

O     ' 

three  hours  the  audience  remained  in- 
tensely interested,  and  in  nothing  more 
than  in  the  Doctor's  speech,  which 
abounded  in  flashes  of  wit  and  strains 
of  eloquence.  Unusually  gifted,  edu- 
cation had  made  him  an  attractive 
speaker  as  well  as  an  accomplished  phy- 
sician. His  gifts  and  accomplishments 
were  the  more  striking  from  the  youth- 
ful appearance  he  bore. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  the 
youthful  victor  of  the  preceding  day 
was  called  to  repeat  his  declamation. 
His  appearance  was  greeted  by  such 
applause  as  would  well-nigh  turn  the 
head  of  a  much  older  person. 

At  the  close,  the  oldest  clergyman 
present  gave  a  brief  statement  of  the 
condition  of  the  little  village.  He  said . 

"Where,   my   friends,   in   the   whole 


74  GREEN   BLUFF. 

extent  of  the  United  States,  is  there  a 
romrnunity  of  people  who  have  more  tc 
t>e  thankful  for,  than  we  have?  Very 
meet  is  it,  that  we,  as  a  community, 
should  assemble  here,  to-day,  to  give 
expression  of  our  gratitude  to  God  for 
His  manifold  mercies.  Where  shall  we 
begin  to  enumerate  them,  or  where  shall 
we  leave  off?  Verily,  they  are  past 
numbering.  Yet  I  cannot  refrain  from 
presenting  a  few  of  the  benefits  which 
we  enjoy  above  many  of  our  neighbor- 
ing villages. 

"  How  pleasant  our  situation  !  Nes- 
tled here  among  the  hills,  sheltered  alike 
from  the  fierce  blasts  of  Winter  and  the 
burning  heats  of  Summer,  bordering  the 
clear  waters  of  our  own  beautiful 
river,  we  can  boast  of  natural  loveliness 
and  pleasantness  of  situation,  above  any 
town  of  our  state.  And  it  seems  right 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY  75 

that  so  happy  a  people  should  have 
such  beautiful  surroundings. 

"  But  it  is  not  the  surroundings  that 
make  us  happy.  It  is  a  trite  saying, 
4  Be  virtuous,  and  you  will  be  happy' 
—  yet  it  finds  an  illustration  in  oui 
community,  and  hence  its  force.  Will 
you  listen  while  we  tell  of  our  virtue 
as  a  town ;  tell  of  it  by  pointing  to  its 
effects  ? 

"Seldom,  this  past  year,  very  seldom, 
has  the  deep  tones  of  the  church  bell 
told  in  measured  notes  of  the  presence 
of  the  dark-winged  messenger,  Death. 
There  are  few  graves  in  our  cemetery 
on  which  the  grass  has  not  grown — -few, 
I  say — and  verily  believe  it  would  be 
true  to  say,  none. 

"  Who  of  you  have  seen  ragged  chil- 
dren, or  hungry  women,  walking  our 
streets,  begging  a  pittance  to  keep  soul 


76  GREEN    BLUFF. 

and  body  together?  True,  it  is,  that 
we  have  had  occasion  to  open  our 
hearts  and  purses  to  supply  the  want 
of  some  one  or  two  of  our  worthy  Li- 
borers,  upon  whom  sickness  had  come 
suddenly — but  such  cases  are  rare. 

"Walk  on  our  streets  after  night-full, 
on  Sabbath  eve,  when  nearly  all  of  our 
people  are  gathered  into  the  churches, 
and  be  astonished  to  see  the  windows 
of  our  houses  left  unfastened,  and  doors 
unlocked — yea,  even  open  in  the  Sum- 
mer time!  Does  that  argue  anything 
in  behalf  of  the  honesty  of  our  people? 
I  tell  you,  friends,  it  speaks  volumes. 

"See  that  stately  building  just  over 
the  way,  standing  in  a  yard  beautiful 
even  in  its  nakedness  of  Winter.  Go 
there,  and  look  into  the  faces  of  those 
gathered  within  its  walls,  to  study  and 
think  and  fit  themselves  for  places  of 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  77 

honor  and  of  usefulness  in  the  coming 

ii-s.  What  is  it  that  you  read  in  the 
1  tright  eyes,  lovely  faces,  quick  steps, 
manly  deportment,  and  womanly  graces 
of  the  pupils?  Bright  hopes  for  the 
future. 

"  I  do  no  one  any  wrong,  and  am  flat- 
tering no  oiu',  when  I  say,  that,  to-day, 
there  have  been,  on  this  platform, 
pupils  of  that  school  which  would  do 
honor  to  any  town  or  city  in  our  great 
domain. 

"  Xeed  I  tell  of  the  business  enter- 
prise of  our  village?  No;  for  its  his- 
tory is  written,  never  to  be  effaced  I 
hope,  in  the  commodious,  well-filled 
stores,  the  mills  and  manufactories, 
and  mines  of  our  vicinity. 

"Read  the  report  of  our  police  mag- 
istrate recently  published.  "What  facts 
for  our  rejoicing  does  it  furnish.  On« 


78  GREEN    BLUFF. 

arrest!  And  that  of  a  besotted  trav- 
eler, who  purchased  his  liquor  at  our 
neighboring  village,  Middleville. 

<-J  O  &      / 

"  Who  can  stand  up  here,  to-day,  and 
say  his  taxes  for  town  purposes  have 
been  burdensome  ?  Who  can  say  that 
our  streets  and  sidewalks  are  not  in  al- 
most perfect  order  ?  And  yet  we  learn 
that  there  is  no  debt  hanging  over  us 
— but,  on  the  contrary,  there  is  a  re- 
spectable sum  in  the  treasury  with 
which  to  begin  the  next  fiscal  year. 

"  Why  is  it  that  we  are  so  much  more 
blessed  than  many  others? — for  a  com- 
parison with  the  condition  of  any  other 
town  of  equal  size,  will  show  our  supe- 
riority in  all  the  points  mentioned— 
why,  then,  I  say,  are  we  thus  blessed  ( 

"  I  know  of  but  one  answer —  We  have) 
closed  our  doors  to  tlie  destroyer — to  tie 
vile  monster,  i  Liquor  Traffic  I ' 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY.  79 


CHAPTER  VII. 

AFTER  the  events  narrated  in  the  la»t 
chapter  had  transpired,  the  people  of 
Green  Bluff  separated  to  go  to  their 
homes,  and  partake  of  the  bounties  pre- 
pared beforehand. 

At  Mr.  Stone's  there  were  unusual 
preparations  made.  The  snowy  cloth 
seemed  to  glisten  with  unwonted  bright- 
ness. The  few  pieces  of  silver  (gifts 
from  Walter  to  his  mother)  could  not 
be  burnished  more  carefully,  while  the 
arrangement  of  the  various  dishes  on  the 
table,  was  almost  perfect.  It  was  Lucy's 
deft  hands  that  accomplished  these 
cliau 

O 

Mrs.  Stone's  motherly  face  wore   its 


80  GREEN    BLUFF. 

usual  smile  of  contentment  and  love,  and 
her  husband  never  seemed  more  com- 
pletely at  ease  with  himself  and  all  the 
rest  of  mankind.  Walter  was  in  the 
highest  spirits,  and  overflowed  with  wit 
and  repartee.  Lucy  was  more  quiet  than 
ordinary,  yet  there  was  something  in  her 
look  and  manner  that  told  of  more  than 
ordinary  joy.  Despite  herself,  blushes 
came  and  went  in  rapid  succession  as 
they  discussed  the  meeting  from  which 
they  had  just  come. 

"  It  was  the  very  best  Thanksgiving 
meeting  I  ever  saw,"  said  Walter, 
bringing  his  hand  down  on  the  table 
with  an  emphatic  thump.  "Didn't 
Charlie  Hayes  do  splendidly?  and  what 
a  perfect  model  speech  was  that  of  Dr. 
Thomas'!" 

Lucy's  eyes  fell — but  she  was  silent 
"All  was  very  good.     I  should  think 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  81 

Mr.  Thomas  would  be  very  proud  of  hig 
son,"  said  Mrs.  Stone, 

"  Proud  of  him  ?  That  isn't  half  of 
it !  "  said  Walter.  "  I  believe  he  wor- 
ships him.  Didn't  you  see  how  nervous 
he  was,  with  joy,  when  John  was  ap- 
plauded? He  laughed  and  twisted 
about  on  his  seat,  looking  first  at  John 
and  then  around  on  the  audience,  and 
seemed  almost  ready  to  burst  with  glee." 

"  Well  he  might !  Guess  I  would 
have  done  so,  too,  if  it  had  been  you  up 
there,  my  son,"  said  his  father. 

"  My  talent  isn't  in  that  line.  Lucy 
what  makes  you  so  silent.  What  do 
you  think  ?  Seems  to  me  you  and  John 
were  pretty  good  friends,  before  he  went 
off  to  college.  How  is  it  now,  eh  ? " 

Walter  gave  his  mother  a  knowing 
wink,  and  awaited  Lucy's  reply. 

"  I  thought  it  was  nice,"  she  said,  with 


82  GREEN    BLUFF. 

as  much  indifference  a"  she  could  sum- 
mon. 

"  Quite  P  definite  answer,  to  be  sure," 
said  her  brother.  "  Was  it  nice  to  have 
the  young  doctor's  friendship?  Well, 
L  guess  that's  so." 

"  Why,  no !  I  meant  nothing  of  the 
kind.  The  performance  was  what  1 
meant."  Blushes  came. 

"  Come,  sister,  be  more  explicit.  Did 
your  heart  beat  high  with  joy,  when  you 
heard  one  of  your  own  townsmen — to 
say  nothing  of  any  other  relationship — 
speaking  so  acceptably.,  so  eloquently  ?  **» 

"I  certainly  did.  I  have  always 
thought  Charlie  Hayes  a  most  delight 
fill  speaker,  especially  for  one  so  young  " 

"  Oh !  but  the  other  one,  I  mean.  How 
about  him  ? "  persisted  Walter. 

"Why,  you  know, .Mr.  flibson  is  my 
favorite  preacher.  How  oould  it  be 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  83 

otherwise,  when  he  is  so  kind  a  pas- 
tor?" 

"  Very  well ;  we  will  let  it  rest  at 
that ;  but  it  seems  to  me  the  doctor  has 
been  left  quite  out  of  the  reckoning  with 
you." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  was  her  seemingly  in- 
different reply. 

****** 

"Well,  now,  this  is  really  kinder  than 
I  was  expecting  you  to  be  to-night,  sis- 
ter"— and  Walter  walked  into  the  neat 
but  plain  parlor,  and  seating  himself  in 
the  easy  chair,  in  front  of  the  grate, 
said — "  but,  the  fact  is,  I  must  ask  you 
to  excuse  me.  I  have  an  engagement, 
to-night  at  Squire  Johnson's.  His  young 
folks  asked  me  around,  and  I  must  go. 
Really,  I  am  very  sorry  that  you  have 
gone  to  the  trouble  to  have  every  thing 
so  comfortable  for  me  here.  I  know  J 


84  GREEN    BLUFF. 

would  enjoy  a  tete  a  tete  with  you  more 
than  with  any  one  else — almost."  This 
he  said  with  a  mock  earnestness  that 
was  laughable  in  the  extreme. 

"  Give  yourself  no  uneasiness,"  she 
said,  in  the  same  spirit :  "  for  I  will  not 
be  left  to  enjoy  the  warm  fire  and  easy 
chairs  alone,  if  you  do  go.  You  are  ex- 
cused.'' She  bowed  him  out  of  the  door. 

A  rap  at  the  door  ! 

"Good  evening,  John — excuse  me! — 
Dr.  Thomas,  I  suppose  I  must  say,  now 
since  you  have  nearly  completed  your 
college  course." 

"No,  Lucy,  not  Doctor,  yet — and  I 
hope  never  to  be  called  by  so  formal  a 
name  when  you  speak  to  me  in  your 
own  parlor.  It  is  John — simply,  John." 

She  took  his  hat  and  gloves,  and  mo- 
tioned him  to  the  cliair  that  Walter  had 
vacated  a  few  minutes  before. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  85 

"  It  does  seem  a  long  time  since  you 
were  here  last — almost  two  years." 

"They  have  been  weary  years  tome," 
he  said,  "in  some  respects,  and  full  of 
pleasure  in  other.  Did  you  receive  my 
last  letter?" 

"Not  until  yesterday — the  very  day 
you  came.  I  wondered  why  you  didn't 
write.  It  was  miscarried  some  way." 

A  gentle  rap  at  the  parlor  door. 

"  Come,  father,"  said  Lucy. 

Mr.  Stone  entered,  and  advancing  to 
the  doctor,  said — 

"  I  come  to  congratulate  you  for  my- 
self, and  for  Mrs.  Stone,  on  the  speech 
to-day.  I  hope  it  may  prove  to  be  only 
the  forerunner  of  continued  success.  God 
bless  you ! "  A  warm,  hearty  pressure 
of  the  hand,  followed  this  benediction. 

The  doctor  bowed  low  in  token  ot 
his  appreciation  of  the  blessing. 


86  GREEN  BLUFF. 

"I  will  not  intrude  further,"  said  the 
father,  turning  to  leave,  "  for,  no  doubt, 
you  and  Lucy  will  have  all  too  little 
time  to  talk  over  old  scenes  and  pleas- 
ures ;  yet  it  seems  that  you  might  have 
written  all  you  had  to  say  in  the  nu- 
merous letters  that  came.  How  many 
was  it,  Lucy?  seven  a  week?  Well, 
good  night." 

"  Bless  his  dear  old  soul,"  said  Lucy, 
as  the  door  closed  behind  him. 

"  One  thing  is  certain,  John — you 
may  repent  of  your  selection  for  a  wife ; 
but  a  nobler,  truer,  kinder  father-in-law, 
you  could  never  have  found." 

"  I  will  risk  my  repenting,"  he  said, 
taking  her  hand  in  his  and  pressing  a 
kiss  upon  it. 

Of  all  they  said  and  did,  we  cannot 
tell.  This  we  know,  ten  o'clock  came 
too  soon  for  them,  as  much  remained 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  $7 

unsaid  that  for  months  they  had  treas- 
ured up  in  their  hearts  for  this  hour 
It  was,  to  them,  too  sacred  to  be  writ 
ten.  Ten  was  their  hour  for  retiring, 
and  no  infringement  was  permitted. 

"  How  long  must  it  be  ? " 

"  At  least  three  years,  John.  I  can 
not  get  through  school  in  less  time.  I 
will  be,  then,  just  a  little  over  twenty  > 
which  is  full  young  enough  to  assume 
the  duties  of  a  wife.  You  know  that, 
John.  By  that  time  you  will  have  se 
cured  a  good  practice  here,  and  we  will 
be  ready  to  start  right." 

"Ah,  you  are  a  reasoner,  indeed!  I 
will  be  patient.  Good  night,  dear." 


88  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  VIH. 

THE  next  morning  found  Walter  at 
his  post  early.  Some  time  before  the 
hour  for  work  to  begin,  Colbert  came, 
and  stepped  into,  the  office  to  leave  his 
dinner-bucket  and  to  remove  his  heavy 
coat. 

"  Good  morning,  Colbert ;  hope  you 
had  a  pleasant  time  yesterday.  Glad 
to  see  you  back,  ready  for  work.  It  has 
been  some  time  since  you  were  here."  - 

"Yes;  I  have  had  a  hard  time  of  it. 
Everything  seems  'gainst  a  poor  man, 
these  days.  Kind  'o  thought  for  a  time 
I  would  be  laid  up  all  Winter." 

"  But  you  weren't  laid  up  all  Winter, 
BO  be  encouraged.  How  are  the  fam- 
ily ?r  Walter  motioned  him  to  a  seat, 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  89 

and,  sitting  near,  put  his  hand  on  his 
^lioulder  kindly,  and  said,  "  Colbert,  I 
am  getting  uneasy  about  you.  Do  you 
kno\v  why  ?" 

"  Course  not.     How  should  I  ? " 

"  Don't  you  think  you  go  too  often 
to  Middleville?" 

"  Why,  no ;  guess  a  fellow  has  a  right 
to  go  where  he  please,  and  as  often  as 
he  please,  in  this  land." 

This  he  said  rather  pettishly,  and 
arose  and  walked  the  floor  of  the  office. 

'•  Don't  know  so  well  about  that,  Col- 
bert. You  have  no  right  to  go  into  my 
trunk  and  take  my  clothing." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? " 

lie  stopped  short  in  front  of  the 
speaker,  and  gazed  at  him  inquiringly. 

"  I  mean  that  you  have  no  right  to  go 
where  you  please,  if  in  so  doing  you 
injure  another.  To  make  it  plainer: 


90  GREEN    BLUFF. 

You  have  no  right  to  walk  into  your 
neighbor's  garden  in  the  Spring,  when 
seeds  sown  by  him  are  just  sprouting, 
and  trample  the  life  out  of  them,  so  he 
and  his  family  are  deprived  of  any  of 
their  food." 

"  I  don't  understand  what  that  has  to 
do  with  my  going  to  Middleville." 

"You  don't?  Well,  my  friend,  let 
m?.  be  still  more  plain.  Now  do  not  be 
offended  at  me.  Every  cent  you  spend 
for  liquor  at  Middleville,  takes  that 
much  food  or  clothing  from  your  fam- 
ily. Now,  have  you  the  right  to  rob 
them  of  what  is  theirs,  any  more  than 
you  have  to  rob  me  of  my  property? 
Not  so  much.  You  have  promised  to 
love,  and  cherish  your  wife;  but,  in- 
stead, you  are  preparing  to  bring  misery 
upon  her."  So  said  Walter. 

"  Guess  my  family  is  not  suffering." 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  91 

This  was  said  in  a  churlish  tone,  while 
Colbert  sat  down  with  his  back  to  Wal- 
ter, and  moodily  thumped  with  his  foot 
against  the  floor. 

"They  are  not  suffering?  Why, 
man,  what  would  they  have  done  two  or 
three  weeks  ago,  if  the  town  had  not 
bought  wood  and  provision  for  them  ?" 

"Well,  a  fellow  can't  help  getting 
sick — can  he  ? " 

"Not  always;  but  you  could  have 
helped  that.  If  it  had  not  been  for  that 
tramp  over  to  Middleville,  you  could 
have  been  at  work  these  last  two  weeks 
—yes,  three  weeks.  But,  as  it  is,  you 
have  lost  twenty-five  or  thirty  dollars, 
besides  having  to  pay  a  doctor's  bill  of 
some  ten  or  twelve  dollars.  Making  a 
total  loss  of  nearly  forty  dollars,  just 
by  one  spree." 

"  Well,   a   fellow    must    have    some- 


92  GREEN  BLUFF. 

thing  to  cheer  him  up,  occasionally.  He 
can't  live  always  down  in  these  mines 
without  something  to  help  him." 

"  Something  to  cheer  him  up  ?  Does 
it  cheer  you  up,  to  know  that  you  have 
lost  forty  dollars  ?  Do  you  feel  more 
like  work  now  than  you  did  before  you 
were  sick  ? " 

Colbert  did  not  know  how  to  answer 
these  questions,  without  condemning 
himself,  so  he  was  silent.  Finally,  he 
said,  "  I  believe  a  fellow  could  do  more 
work  if  he  had  a  dram  every  morning ; 
for  about  noon  I  feel  kind  o'  sick  and 
faint,  and  can't  half  work  until  I  get  a 
drink  from  some  of  the  men." 

"Your  belief  amounts  to  nothing, 
when  your  experience  furnishes  such 
strong  proof  to  the  contrary.  Why  do 
you  feel  sick  and  faint  about  noon  ?  Is 
it  the  appetite  you  have  created,  calling 


A   TEMPERANCE    STOBY.  93 

out  to  be  satisfied?  Of  course.  You 
used  dig  as  much  coal  as  any  man 
here ;  but,  now,  you  are  far  behind 
Jones.  How  is  it  ?  Why,  it  is  plain  to 
any  one.  You  have  lost  real  strength 
since  you  began  your  dram-drinking. 
It  is  true  with  reference  to  all  the  other 
men  who  drink." 

"  1  hardly  ever  drink  whisky :  I 
don't  like  the  taste  of  it,  really.  The 
most  I  ever  drink,  is  beer  There  can 
be  no  harm  in  beer." 

"  It  invariably  creates  an  appetite  for 
some  thing  stronger.  There  is  where 

o  o 

the  great  mischief  is.  But  it  is  false 
tlmt  beer  is  beneficial  in  the  long  run. 
It  may  make  you  stronger  for  a  time, 
but  its  effects  pass  off  and  leave  the 
system  weaker  than  before  any  was 
taken.  Your  own  experience  teaches 
this.  If  it  wasn't  so,  why  do  you  feel 


94  GKEEN  BLUFF. 

so  faint  and  sick  about  the  time  its 
effects  have  passed  away  ? " 

"  Oh,  well,  you  needn't  be  afraid  of 
me  I  will  never  become  a  common 
drunkard.  I  will  never  abuse  my  wife. 
Why,  I  love  my  family  as  well  as  any 
man.  If  I  ever  do  take  a  little  too 
much,  I  go  right  home.  I  never  will 
be  found  on  the  streets  drunk." 

"So  you  may  think,  now;  but  the 
time  will  soon  come  that  you  cannot  say 
your  family  is  not  disgraced.  Every 
drunkard  that  ever  lived,  thought  just 
as  you  do  now.  I  tell  you,  sir,  there  is 
but  little  difference  between  the  beer 
drinker,  or  tippler,  and  the  common 
drunkard.  About  the  same,  as  I  once 
heard,  as  that  between  a  pig  and  a  hog 
• — it  is  only  a  question  of  time." 

"  Why,  I  know  there's  no  danger  in  me 
ever  becoming  a  gutter-man — I  could 
quit  to-day,  if  I  thought  it  hurt  me." 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  95 

"  If  you  can  quit  to-day,  as  you  say 
fou  can," — here  Walter  arose  and  put 
one  arm  around  the  neck  of  his  friend, 
and  kindly,  almost  affectionately,  said — 
"quit  I  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  pure 
and  good,  quit !  for  your  family's  sake, 
QUIT!  Can  you  bear  the  thought  of 
seeing  your  little  girls  exposed  to  the 
taunts  of  their  schoolmates,  because 
their  father  is  a  drunkard?  Think  of 
them.  Colbert.  In  the  name  of  your 
soul's  best  interests,  I  beg  of  you  to 
QUIT!  Kemember  the  warning  of  your 
God  —  No  drunkard  shall  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God  !  This  may  be  the  last 
time  I  will  ever  speak  to  you  thus ;  but 
I  must,  once  again,  beg  you  to  beware 
of  the  awful  danger  into  whi^h  you  are 
running !  There  is  the  wi>:»ile !  we 
must  go  to  work."  So  saying,  he  turn- 
ed  and  left  Colbert,  who  hastened  down 
to  his  place  in  the  mine. 


96  GREEN    BLUFF. 

That  afternoon,  as  both  were  on  their 
way  home,  Colbert  walked  up  by  th% 
side  of  Walter,  and  in  a  tremulous  tone 
said  :  "  *  Bos,'  I  have  heard  those  words 
of  yours  ringin'  in  my  ears  all  day. 
God  knows  I  love  my  wife.  She  has 
been  a  noble  woman,  sure.  Don't  think 
me  a  brute,  '  bos.'  I  do  love  my  little 
ones — bless  their  hearts !  I  tell  you 
what  I  am  going  to  do — I  am  going  to 
quit !  " 

"  What's  that  you  say  !  "  said  Walter, 
excitedly,  grasping  the  weeping  man  by 
the  hand ;  what's  that !  say  that  again, 
my  man,  while  I  say,  'Amen,'  to  it." 

"  I  am  going  to  quit  beer,  cider,  whis- 
ky, and  every  thing  of  the  kind;  and 
here  is  my  hand  on  it,"  said  Colbert, 
earnestly,  at  the  same  time  pressing 
Walter's  hand  in  his  own  bony  fingers 
as  if  in  a  vise. 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  97 

"Amen!"  said  Walter.  "Your  wife 
does  not  yet  know  that  you  have  been 
drinking.  She  has  thought  that  you 
were  sick.  May  she  never  know  it  1 
The  future  begins  to  look  cheery  again. 
Remember,  Colbert,  total  abstinence  is 
the  only  safe  course.  No  man  can  take 
fire  into  his  bosom  and  not  be  burned. 
Do  you  seej" 

"  I  see,"  he  said. 

The  next  morning  the  road  from  Col- 
bert's house  to  the  mine  echoed  songs 
of  gladness  that  he  sang — snatches  of 
sacred  songs  learned  at  church — songs 
of  praise,  songs  of  prayer.  He  was 
determined  to  keep  his  pledge. 

u  Here,  old  fellow,  come  this  way  a 
minute,"  said  one  of  his  comrades  beck- 
oning around  the  corner  of  the  super- 
intendent's office.  "  I  have  the  best '  Old 
Rye'  you  ever  tasted.  Take  a  little. 


98  GREEN    BLUFF. 

for  your  stomach's  sake.  See  how  it 
sparkles !  What  you  standiu'  there  for  ? 
Coine,  I  say,  and  take  a  little.  I  haven't 
forgot  that  you  treated  last." 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Colbert ;  "  I  guess 
I  can  get  along  without  it,  to-day." 

"Nonsense,  nonsense,  man.  You  look 
pale  and  weak-like.  This  will  give  you 
strength  and  ruddy  cheeks." 

"No:  I  have  decided  not  to  drink 
any  more." 

"You  have,  eh?  We  will  see  how 
long  you  keep  your  pledge.  'Spect 
Stone  has  been  lecturing  you— hasn't 
he  ? — and  you  are  afraid  to  be  a  man, 
and  do  as  you  please,  eh  ?  " 

This  was  followed  by  a  derisive 
laugh.  Colbert  advanced,  and  took  the 
bottle  in  his  hand.  He  looked  at  it  a 
moment,  and  then  handed  it  back,  say- 
ing— "No,  I  will  not  drink  this  morn 


A   TEMPERANCE    STOBY.  99 

• 

He  turned  to  leave,  but  his  com- 

' 

rade  grasped  his  arm  and  held  him  fast. 

"  Here,  Colbert,  don't  be  a  baby,  to 
l)»j  led  around  by  other  people's  opin- 
ions. Drink,  man  !  drink!" 

Here  he  removed  the  cork,  and  held 
the  fatal  bottle  near  Colbert's  face.  He 
inhaled  the  fumes — he  grasped  the  bot- 
tle, and,  closing  his  eyes,  as  if  to  shut 
out  some  horrid  picture,  he  quaffed  the 
poison,  and  laughed  at  his  former  fears. 

Before  night  came,  the  effects  of  the 
lijjuor  began  to  pass  away — and  then 
came  a  raging  thirst  for  more,  and  bit- 
ter remorse  because  his  vow  had  been 
broken.  He  now  began  to  see  how  firm 
the  tyrant  held  him.  He  had,  before, 
thought  himself  master  of  his  appetite ; 
but  now  he  felt  that  he  was  a  plaything 
in  its  hands. 

He  stopped  his  work  several   times, 


100  GREEN    BLUFF. 

being  lost  in  reverie.  At  times,  he  felt 
as  if  he  was  rapidly  descending  a  steep 
hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  was  a  pit, 
dark,  deep  and  dreadful,  into  which  he 
must  descend,  as  there  was  nothing  to 
stay  his  downward  course,  but  every 
thing  to  accelerate  it.  In  imagination, 
he  felt  himself  on  the  very  verge  of  the 
gulf,  and  made  one  desperate  effort  to 
avoid  the  last  fatal  plunge.  This  wak- 
ened him  from  the  reverie. 

"  O  God  !  save  me  !  "  burst  from  his 
lips.  There  he  again  renewed  his 
pledge,  with  God  as  his  witness,  and 
until  late  in  the  evening  worked  hard 
to  recover  what  he  had  lost  by  his 
dreamy  stupor. 

He  went  home,  a  sadder,  but  a  wiser 
man. 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY  101 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WINTER  has  passed.  Many  have 
been  the  changes  in  Green  Bluff.  The 
railroad,  long  in  contemplation,  has 
been  completed  as  far  as  this  village. 
To  put  a  bridge  across  the  .river  here, 
required  no  little  time  and  not  a  few 
men.  The  majority  of  the  workmen 
were  strangers.  They  brought  their  in- 
temperate habits  with  them.  Attracted 
by  the  natural  beauty  of  Green  Bluff,  as 
well  as  its  convenience  to  their  work 
and  cheap  living,  they  purchased  or 
routed  houses  and  became  bona  fide 
citi/ons  of  the  place. 

Spring  election  of  town-officers  is 
over.  Three  new  councilmen  are  elect- 


102  GREEN    BLUFF. 

ed.  Two  of  the  former  Board  are  re- 
elected. 

Since  the  incorporation  of  the  village 
there  has  been  an  ordinance  in  force, 
fixing  the  rate  to  be  paid  for  license  to 
sell  liquor  so  high,  that  no  one  ever  for 
a  moment  entertained  the  thought  that 
any  one  would  apply  for  a  license,  for 
had  the  application  been  granted  (which 
was  next  to  impossible,  on  account  of 
the  stern  temperance  principles  of  the 
community  and  of  the  councilmen  usu- 
ally elected) — had  the  application  been 
granted,  the  fee  would  have  consumed 
all  the  profits  and  dipped  deep  into  the 
capital  of  the  dealer. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  new  Board 
passed  off  without  any  unusual  occur- 
rence. The  second  meeting  was  not  so 
fortunate.  Of  its  doings  we  have  to 
speak  in  this  chapter. 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  103 

• 

"  Is  there  any  other  business  to  come 
before  this  Board  to-night?"  said  the 
chairman,  pushing  aside  the  papers 
before  him  on  the  desk,  removing  his 
glasses,  and  preparing  to  adjourn  the 
Board. 

"There  is,  sir." 

So  said  Mr.  Templeton,  one  of  the 
new  members,  rising  to  his  feet,  and 
bowing  patronizingly  to  the  chair. 

The  chairman  looked  at  him  in  sur 
prise,  as  he  had  been  silent  nearly  all  the 
evening  during  the  session  of  the  Board, 
while  the  other  members  leaned  for- 
ward to  catch  the  words  of  the  speaker, 
who  seemed  somewhat  embarrassed. 

"  I  move  you,  sir,"  he  continued,  "  that 
this  Board  grant  James  Snow,  when 
be  shall  have  complied  with  the  re- 
quirements of  the  ordinance,  license  to 
sell  liquor,  as  a  beverage,  in  this  town." 


104  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Trembling  with  excitement  which  this 
bold  step  had  caused,  he  sat  down,  -wip- 
ing great  drops  of  perspiration  from  his 
brow,  and  glancing  anxiously  at  Mr. 
Furtherton,  another  new  member,  who 
hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  arose, 
saying,  "I  second  the  motion." 

Had  an  earthquake  shaken  the  room 
in  which  they  were  assembled,  the 
chairman  and  the  two  old  members 
could  not  have  been  more  astonished 
and  alarmed. 

One  of  them,  Mr.  Stone,  sprang  to  his 
feet,  and  forgetting  parliamentary  usage 
and  order,  said :  "I  move  he  don't." 

"  Order,  gentlemen ! "  said  the  chair 
man,  recovering  from  his  surprise,  yet 
agitated  greatly.  "We  surely  have 
nothing  to  fear  from  this  motion.  Let 
the  subject  be  thoroughly  discussed, 
and  J  am  persuaded  the  mover  will  see 
his  mistake  and  withdraw  his  motion." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  105 

"  Not  much,  he  won't,"  said  Temple- 
ton,  in  an  undertone. 

The  chairman  then  said : 

"  It  is  moved  and  seconded,  gentle- 
men, that  this  Board  grant  James 
Snow — when  he  shall  have  complied 
with  the  requirements  of  the  ordi- 
nance— license  to  sell  liquor  as  a  bever- 
age in  this  town.  Are  you  ready  for 
the  question'?" 

"  No,  sir ! "  said  Mr.  Stone,  rising. 
"  We  hope  never  to  be  ready  to  vote  on 
that  question  in  this  Board.  It  is  a 
disgrace  to  the  hitherto  fair  name  of  our 
loved  town,  that  such  a  motion  should 
ever  be  made.  I  can  scarcely  believe 
my  ears.  I  can  account  for  the  course 
pursued  by  the  mover  on  no  grounds 
whatever. 

"  He  is  a  young  man,  sir,  with  no  son 
exposed  to  the  danger  which  a  licensed 


106  GBEEN    BLUFF. 

whisky  saloon  would  present,  else  he 
could  not  have  the  courage  to  make 
such  a  motion  here.  I  say  again,  sir, 
I  cannot  see  what  motive  presses  him 
to  such  a  course.  The  fate  of  our  neigh- 
boring villages  ought  to  be  enough  to 
deter  him  from  such  a  course. 

"You  see  that  I  am  excited,  sir.  I 
do  not  deny  it :  I  am  glad  of  it.  I  hope 
never  to  get  to  a  point  where  I  will  not 
be  excited,  when  such  a  proposition  is 
made. 

"  I  love  my  son,  sir,  and  my  daughter 
— but  rather  than  see  the  one  a  drunk- 
ard,  or  the,  other  connected  with  a 
drunkard  in  marriage,  I  would  follow 
them  gladly  to  the  gr ' 

"I  call  the  gentleman  to  order  I"  said 
Templeton,  excitedly. 

"What  is  your  point  of  order,  sir?" 
asked  the  chairman. 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY.  107 

"  He  is  off  the  question.  We  are  not 
discussing  his  love  for  his  children. 
That  has  nothing  to  do  with  this 
motion." 

"  It  has  very  much  to  do  with  it,  sir 
Proceed,  Mr.  Stone,"  said  the  chairman 

"I  was  going  to  say  that,  however 
much  I  love  my  children,  I  would  rath- 
er follow  them  to  the  grave,  to-day, 
than  to  see  them  made  intemperate 
and  die  drunkards.  If  they  die  now,  I 
believe  that  in  the  bright  hereafter 
I  will  see  them  again.  If  they  fill  a 
drunkard's  grave,  I'll  "never  see  them 
any  more.  I  know  how  frail  human 
nature  is,  and  I  will  always  use  every 
means  possible  to  keep  temptation 
away  from  my  son  or  daughter.  There- 
fore, 1  will  never  vote  for  licensing 
saloons.  Never  I .  Hope  my  arm  may 
fall  withered  by  my  side,  if  ever  I  raise 
it  to  further  such  damnable  traffic." 


108  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  My  old  friend  seems  much  in  earn 
est  about  this  question,"  said  Mr.  Wise, 
another  new  member,  and  a  lawyer,  re- 
cently come  to  town.  He  had  been 
there  barely  long  enough  to  make  him 
eligible  to  a  position  in  the  Board — but 
elected  he  was — how,  no  one  scarcely 
could  tell.  He  was  about  middle-age, 
and  was  prepossessing  in  appearance; 
often  keen  in  argument,  and  deliberate 
and  impressive  in  delivery  —  some- 
times, he  rose  to  impassioned  oratory. 

On  this  night,  he  stood  with  one  foot 
resting  on  the  floor,  and  the  other  on 
the  chair  in  which  he  had  been  sitting; 
while  he  toyed  with  his  glasses,  which 
hung  suspended  by  a  silken  cord  in  a 
button-hole.  The  glasses  he  wore  more 
for  effect  than  utility.  He  continued : 

"  I  like  his  earnestness ;  but  unfor 
tunately,  he  forgets  the  question,  seem- 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  109 

in.irly,  and  endeavors  to  move  this 
Imard  to  vote  according  to  his  views — 
Dot  by  presenting  arguments  to  move 
their  minds,  but  by  appealing  to  their 
sympathies.  Such  a  manner  of  arguing 
i>  puerile.  Sir,  we  must  look  at  this 
question  from  a  business  stand-point, 
and  leave  our  feelings,  as  fathers,  quite 
out  of  consideration;  for  we  are  here 
to  legislate  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
town,  without  allowing  our  personal 
feelings  to  prejudice  our  actions.  You 
know,  perhaps,  of  the  Roman  consul, 
who  signed  his  own  son's  death  war- 
rant, when  he  saw,  by  so  doing,  he  would 
add  to  the  stability  of  the  government 
he  represented.  Such  an  act  was  then, 
and  is  now,  considered  in  the  highest 

*  O 

decree  heroic,  and  was  the  purest  kind 
of  patriotism.  The  same  spirit  should 
actuate  us  in  our  actions  here  as  repre- 
sentatives of  this  town. 


110  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  My  position  is  this :  "  If  we  can  see 
that,  by  licensing  saloons,  we  can  add  to 
the  wealth  or  beauty  of  our  village,  it 
then  becomes  our  duty  to  license  them. 
That  it  will  add  to  our  wealth,  is  a  fore- 
gone conclusion.  Yet,  that  these  present 
may  see  it  clearly,  I  will  undertake  to 
show  how  this  is  done. 

"  Now,  you  must  admit,  that  whatever 
adds  to  the  business  of  this  place,  adds 
to  its  wealth.  There  is  no  use  denying 
that  there  are  scores  of  farmers,  living 
in  adjacent  neighborhoods,  who  would 
come  to  this  place  with  their  produce, 
if  they  could  get  here  their  usual  daily 
dram.  This,  they  will  have,  somehow 
or  other.  If  they  cannot  get  it  here, 
they  will  go  where  they  can  get  it.  We 
make  no  inebriates  ;  we  only  take 
advantage  of  an  existing  evil — if  you 
contend  that  moderate  drinking  is  - 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  Ill 

evil — and  cause  it  to  minister  to  our 
good.  Is  that  not  right?  Anothe/ 
point  I  would  mention,  is  this:  lately, 
our  place  has  had  an  addition  of  soma 
fifty  or  more  citizens.  These  spenl 
their  earnings  here,  and  consequently 
add  to  the  income  of  our  place.  But, 
sir,  we  cannot  hold  these  laborers  if 
their  privileges  are  restricted.  They 
huve  come  to  us  with  habifcs-  firmly  es- 
tablished. One  of  those  habits  is  dram 
drinking.  The  drinker  can  not  do 
without  his  whisky  any  more  than  my 
old  friend  here  can  do  without  his  cof- 
fee, morning  and  night.  Now,  sir,  if 
we  open  a  saloon  here,  they  will  not  go 
to  Middleville  to  buy  their  whisky  and 
other  necessaries,  but  will  remain  here, 
with  all  their  money — buying  both 
whisky  and  provisions  of  our  mer 
chants.  Thus  you  see,  sir,  our  business 


112  GREEN    BLUFF. 

will  be  materially  increased,  and  conse- 
quently our  wealth,  too. 

"  Do  you  ask  how  our  town  will  be 
increased  in  beauty  ?  Sir,  the  amount 
named  in  our  ordinance  is  simply  enor- 
mous. When  that  amount  is  paid  in— 
which  will  be  done,  of  course,  before 
license  is  granted  by  the  town  clerk — 
we  can  appropriate  the  amount — five 
hundred  dollars  I  believe — to  beautify 
om  already  handsome  square,  and  then 
in  other  years  to  grading  our  streets, 
ornamenting  our  cemetery,  and  in  vari- 
ous other  ways. 

"  Now,  sir,  I  see  no  cause  for  the  fears 
which  my  old  friend  has  given  expres- 
sion to — that  is,  fears  that  his  boy  will 
become  an  inebriate  That  is  no  argu- 
ment, as  I  take  it,  for  or  against  the 
question — but  I  speak  now  to  soothe  his 
troubled  heart  (sarcastically).  His  boy 


A   TEMPEBANCE   STOBY.  113 

is  quite  a  young  man,  if  I  am  not  in- 
formed incorrectly,  and  has  passed  quite 
out  of  reach  of  such  influence.  He 
sports  the  dignified  title  of  Superintend- 
ent of  Green  Bluff  Mines ;  surely  he 
would  not  stoop  to  such  a  practice  as 
dram  drinking,  especially  since  he  has, 
no  doubt,  been  so  faithfully  instructed 
in  the  righf  way  by  my  old  friend. 

"I  hope,  sir,  the  question  will  be 
voted  on  to-night,  and  trust  the  motion 
will  prevail." 

He  sat  down,  chuckling  inwardly  at 
what,  he  thought,  sharp  thrusts  at  Mr. 
Stone,  and  looking  wisely  toward  Tern- 
pleton  and  Furtherton,  who  seemed  de- 
lighted with  his  little  speech. 

"Mr.  Chairman,"  said  Mr.  Stone, 
rising  as  soon  as  Wise  had  finished,  "  1 
am  no  lawyer,  and  may  not  present  my 
thoughts  as  clearly  and  forcibly  as  the 


114  GREEN   BLUFF. 

gentleman  just  seated,  nor  may  I  be 
free  from  allowing  my  sympathies  to 
get  the  better  of  me;  but,  yet,  there 
are  some  things  connected  with  this 
question,  which  I  know  as  well  as  any 
one. 

"  I  admit,  sir,  that  it  is  our  duty  as 
councilmen  to  act  for  the  best  interests 
of  the  town,  without  regard  to  personal 
feelings.  I  grant  the  gentlemen,  who 
have  presented  and  supported  this  mo- 
tion, the  highest  regard  for  our  town's 
welfare ;  but  must  say  they  have  a  mis- 
taken  way  of  showing  it. 

"I  admire  the  heroic  spirit  and  pa- 
triotism of  the  Roman  consul,  who 
signed  his  son's  death  warrant  when  he 
saw  that,  by  doing  so,  he  would  benefit 
his  country  I  am  willing  to  imitate 
him  under  similar  circumstances.  The 
fact  is,  sir,  that  his  son  had  violated  a 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  115 

law,  the  penalty  of  which  was  death. 
That  the  law  might  remain  inviolate  as 
to  penalty,  he  caused  his  son  to  die. 
On  the  same  principle,  I  am  willing  to 
sacrifice  both  the  wealth  and  beauty  of 
our  State  or  town,  if  the  law  of  OUT 
Great  and  only  rightful  King,  God  the 
Father,  may  remain  inviolate.  He  has 
said,  Love  your  neighbor  as  yourself! 
Now,  sir,  I  would  not  set  a  trap  to-night 
in  my  path  home,  where  I  may  lose  my 
life  by  stumbling  into  it,  because  of  my 
poor  sight  caused  by  old  age.  Neither 
will  I  set  a  trap  where  my  friends, 
whose  judgment  is  blinded  by  their 
strong  appetite  for  drink,  may  lose  not 
only  their  natural  life,  but  may  be  lost 
eternally. 

"My  lawyer  friend  has  presented 
some  arguments  in  favor  of  license,  on 
the  ground  that  saloons  will  increase 


QBEEN    BLUFF. 

our  wealth :  but,  sir,  lie  argues  against 
facts!  A  comparison  bet  ween  the  thrift 
and  wealth  of  this  place  and  that  of  any 
village  where  the  license  system  pre- 
vails, is  sufficient  to  overturn  his  seem- 
ingly plausible  arguments. 

"  He  says,  sir,  that  unless  we  open 
this  saloon,  that  we  will  lose  some  fifty 
or  more  citizens.  Who  are  these  citi- 
zens? The  laborers  on  the  railroad. 

"  Now,  sir,  I  am  a  poor  day  laborer, 
and  I  have  no  word  against  these  people 
on  that  score — but  the  sooner  we  get 
clear  of  such  people,  the  better.  Why  ? 
They,  sir,  were  the  remote  cause  of  this 
motion  to-night.  It  was  their  cunning 
and  votes  that  put  these  men  into  our 
Board.  Their  example  is  pernicious. 
If  they  cannot  stay  in  our  midst  with- 
out bringing  their  debasing  habits — let 
them  go.  Which,  sir,  is  greater — the 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  117 

few  dollars  they  will  add  to  our  wealth, 
or  the  souls  of  some  of  our  best  boys  ? 
The  gentleman  may  sneer  at  my  fear 
that  my  son,  or  your  son,  may  be  lured 
into  the  hell-hole  he  would  have  opened 
— but,  I  tell  you,  our  only  safe  course 
is  to  keep  clear  of  all  danger.  That 
was  a  wise  coachman,  who  said  he  kept 
as  far  from  the  edge  of  a  precipice  as 
possible;  and  he  was  foolish  who,  to 
test  his  skill,  drove  as  near  the  edge  a? 
possible. 

"  If  we  grant  the  license,  and  receive 
the  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars,  verj 
little  of  it  will  go  to  beautifying  oui 
place.  The  greater  part  will  be  needed, 
to  hire  police  to  keep  order  in  day  time, 
and  to  employ  watchmen  to  guard  us» 
while  we  sleep.  Do  you  want  proof? 
Go  to  our  neighbor,  Middleville.  Why 
men  will  present  theory,  when  practicf 
is  entirely  against  it.  is  strancre  to  m*»  * 


11 S  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Mr.  Newcome  then  arose,  and   said, 
in  his  dry,  yet  clear  and  practical  style : 

"  Mr.  Wise  said  we  could   ornament 
our  cemetery  with  the  proceeds  of  this 
traffic,  and   could  beautify  our  square. 
Just  so !     Imagine  a  dozen  of  our  best 
mechanics,  or  a   dozen   of  our   bright, 
promising  town's  boys,  lying  under  the 
trees  of  our  park,  insensible,  vomiting, 
cursing.     What  beauty  it    adds!     In- 
stead of  the  orderly  company  gathering 
around  our  public  wells,  imagine  a  score 
of    reeling,    swearing    men,    marching 
down  our  streets.     How  charming   the 
sound  of  their   ribaldry!     Go   to   our 
cemetery,   years   hence,    and   read    the 
record  on  a  score  of  graves.     Died  of 
delirium  tremens ;  aged  16  !     Killed  by 
a   drunken   friend;    aged    20!      What 
ornaments ! 

"No   sir!     I'll  never  vote    for    any 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  119 

such  motion.  God  has  said,  '  Cursed  is 
every  man  that  putteth  the  bottle  to 
his  neighbor's  lips,'  and  if  I  vote  for  this 
motion,  I  put  myself  liable  to  that 
curse.  '  God  is  not  slack  concerning 
his  promises  as  some  men  count  slack- 
ness,' for  the  day  of  vengeance  closely 
follows  the  transgression.  If  we  grant 
this  request,  our  fate  as  a  community  is 
sealed." 

During  the  delivery  of  the  last  two 
speeches,  the  other  three  councilmen 
sat  sullenly  thumping  their  chairs  with 
their  fingers,  or  exchanging  words  and 
looks  of  scorn.  When  Mr.  Newcome 
had  finished,  they  called  for  the  ques- 
tion, which  was  put  by  the  chairman, 
and  resulted  in  three  votes  for  the  li- 
cense and  two  against. 

All  hope  was  not  gone.  Mr.  Stone 
and  Mr  Newcome  did  not  believe  th 


120  GREEN    BLUFF. 

license  fee  would  be  paid  by  Snow,  so 
the  saloon  could  not  be  opened. 

"Any  further  business,"  asked  the 
chairman,  as  was  customary. 

u  Yes,  sir,  said  Templeton.  "I  move, 
sir,  that  the  ordinance  be  so  changed  as 
to  require  seventy-five  dollars  per  an- 
num for  license  to  sell  liquor,  instead  of 
five  hundred,  as  it  now  is." 

"  I  second  the  motion,"  said  Further- 
ton. 

All  hope  was  now  gone. 

The  chairman  put  the  question,  which 
resulted  as  forseen. 

Furtherton,  Templeton,  and  Wise  vo- 
ted for  it.  Stone  and  Newcome  voted 
against  it. 

"  An'  how  did  it  go,  Mr.  Wise  ?  "  said 
Snow,  as  that  gentleman  stepped  out 
into  the  street  where  Snow  awaited 
him. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  121 

"  All  right,  James  ;  all  right,  of  course. 
We  had  it  too  well  fixed  up  to  lose  our 
case ! " 

"An1  did  you  git  the  license  put 
down,  too  ? " 

"You  bet  we  did." 

"An'  I'm  right  glad  of  that;  for 
shure  it'd  be  all  day  wid  me  if  you 
hadn't.  An'  how  much  is  it  now  ? " 

"  Only 'seventy-five,  James."- 

"  Only  she veu ty-five,  is  it.  Golly  ! 
that's  goodv  now,  shure !  Can  make 
money,  an'  no  doubt." 

"  Going  to  open  out  right  away, 
James  ? " 

"  Just  as  soon  as  I  git  my  papers. 
An'  when  will  that  be  \ " 

"  You  can  get  it  to-morrow." 

"  Well,  then  to-morrow,  she  will  be 
opened  out  shure,  sir.  Here's  your 
money." 


122  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  next  afternoon,  true  to  promise1. 
Snow  had  his  sign  swinging  in  front  of 
his  door — "  Sunny  Side  Saloon,"  was 
roughly  sketched  upon  it.  The  house 
was  small  and  poorly  furnished,  situ- 
ated in  an  out-of-the-way  place,  yet  suf- 
ficiently conspicuous  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  those  desiring  any  of  the 
goods  he  had  for  sale. 

The  news  of  this  saloon's  existence 
caused  no  little  consternation  in  Green 
Bluff.  It  was  the  subject  for  discussion 
in  every  store-room  and  at  every  work, 
shop  in  the  town.  Many  and  bitter 
denunciations  were  heaped  upon  the 
proprietor,  and  his  accomplices,  Wise, 
Templeton,  and  Furtherton;  but  they 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  123 

availed  naught — the  mischief  was  done. 
For  one  year  at  least  it  must  remain 
a  fountain  of  corruption  in  the  com- 
munity. 

Few  were  the  customers  that  Snow 
had  until  after  nightfall.  After  dark- 
ness came,  his  little  room  was  well  filled 
by  men  and  boys.  Some  came  to  see ; 
some  to  buy. 

The  proprietor  was  in  exuberant 
spirits.  He  was  shrewd.  Beer  and  ale 
and  whisky  were  dealt  out  with  great 
freedom,  and  almost  without  cost.  He 
knew  that  an  appetite,  once  created, 
knew  no  bounds  scarcely,  hence  his  de- 
sire to  have  all  present  take  a  little. 

Toward  the  hour  of  nine  he  mounted 
a  bench  and  began  a  harangue. 

4;  My  friends,  I  have  never  ben  much 
at  speech  making,  but  I  must  tell  you, 
to-night,  that  James  Snow  knows  as 


124  GREEN    BLUFF. 

well  as  any  one  how  to  mix  up  first-rate 
dhrinks,  an'  that  right  chape.  I  mean 
to  kape  no  low  house — no,  sir'ee.  Mine 
is  to  be  a  respect'ble  house.  I'm  your 
friend.  I  know  you  git  tired  of  your 
shops  and  homes  sometimes,  and  want  to 
be  free  for  a  little  while.  Ye's  want 
to  be  free — to  do  as  ye  like.  To  sleep 
if  you  like,  and  to  dhrink  if  you  like. 
Come,  then,  to  my  house — to  my  Sunny 
Side — an'  you'll  al'us  find  James  at 
home,  an'  a  hearty  welcome  to  you. 
Come,  now,  my  boys,  let's  have  a  good 
old  dhrink  aU'round?" 

So  saying,  he  took  his  place  behind 
the  counter,  and  dealt  out  the  beer  as 

• 

fast  as  called  for.     His  speech  and  treat 
was  received  somewhat  indifferently  by 
most  present ;   a  few  persons,  however, 
cheered  him  by  promises  of  patronage. 
When  they  were  gone,  he  sat  musing 


A    TEMPERAJNCJi,    STORY.  125 

on  the  prospect  before  him.  It  was  not 
as  flattering  as  he  desired  or  expected. 
Suddenly  starting  up,  he  hurried  to  his 
money  box,  saying  half  aloud,  "  And 
shure  I  'most  forgot  to  reck'n  up  my 
'arnings.  Purty  slim  show,  now,  in- 
deed, seeing  an'  thare's  a  whole  keg  of 
beer  gone  already !  Well,  never  mind, 
now.  We  will  get  it  all  back,  I  guess, 
before  meny  days." 

Snow  was  not  of  the  lowest  class. 
His  appearance  was  somewhat  attrac- 
tive. Brought  up  without  any  religious 
training  at  all,  he  knew  but  little  about 
moral  obligations,  and  cared  less.  His 
object  was  to  keep  out  of  the  clutches 
of  the  law,  and  make  all  he  could  by 
any  means  whatever.  His  shrewd  na- 
ture told  him  that  there  was  money  in 
the  liquor  traffic  to  the  dealer,  even  if  it 
did  bankrupt  the  buyer.  What  did  he 


126  GREEN    BLUFF. 

care  for  that  ?  To  use  his  own  language 
— when  upbraided  by  some  citizens  for 
opening  his  saloon — 

"An'  it  is  nothin'  to  me,  gintlemen, 
if  men  do  spend  all  their  'arnings  at  my 
shop.  Let  them  see  to  that.  If  it  is 
wrong  to  sell  beer  an  such  like,  why  did 
your  good  people  license  me  to  do  it, 
now,  an'  I'd  like  to  know  ? 

"You  see  yerself  it's  right,  or  else 
your  mimbers  of  congress,  or  what  do 
you  call  it,  whould  not  say  I  might  sell. 
The  boys  will  grow  up  drunkards. 
Well,  well,  the  more  drunk  they  get,  the 
more  liquors  they  buy.  Ila !  ha !  that's 
what  I  like. 

"  Do  not  other  merchants  do  all  they 
can  to  git  custom  .and  keep  it?  Then 
so  will  I.  And  shure  I  will." 

In  vain  they  remonstrated.  He  had 
the  law  on  his  side  and  felt  safe.  They. 


tA   TEMPERANCE    STOBY.  127 

the  force  of  his  argument,  that  he 
h:i  1  a  legal  right  to  sell  as  long  as  the 
legislature  or  town  council  granted  a 

O 

license,  thus  recognizing  his  wholesale 
murder  as  a  legitimate  business. 

Before,  the  week  was  out,  Snow  found 
he  had  quite  a  good  run  of  custom,  as 
he  had  all  the  men  who  were  work- 
ing on  the  bridge  and  many  of  the  mi- 
ners who  formerly  had  gone  to  Middle- 
ville  for  beer.  The  latter  class  visited 
his  saloon  only  at  night.  The  other 
class  were  more  bold,  and  openly  went 
for  their  dram. 

Snow  was  a  good  violinist,  at  least 
so  thought  the  boys  of  Green  Bluff, 
and  he  was  not  long  in  discovering  their 
liking  for  such  music.  Nightly,  they 
would  gather  in  the  vicinity  of  his  shop 
to  listen  to  the  music.  They  did  not 
often  venture  inside.  He  did  not  urge 


128  GREEN    BLUFF. 

them  to  do  so.     He  knew  it  was  not  wise 
to  do  so. 

"  Ah,  James,"  said  Wise,  on  the  Mon- 
day morning  following  the  opening  of 
his  shop,  "  you  got  a  sound  drubbing 
yesterday." 

"  Indeed,  your  honor,  you're  mistaken, 
shure.  Never  has  James  Snow  ever  ben 
drubbed,  an'  surely  not  yisterday." 

"  Yes,  you  were,  James,  but  I  sup- 
pose you  didn't  feel  it — but,  perhaps, 
you  will." 

"  And  what  is  it  you  mean  ? " 

"  Why  I  understand  all  of  the  parsons 
in  town  let  loose  all  their  thunder  and 
lightning  against  your  little  shop.  They 
are  going  to  make  it  hot  for  you,  James. 
Can  you  stand  it  \ " 

"  I'll  give  'em  back  as  hot  as  they  send, 
now  you  see  if  I  don't." 

"  That's    right,    James ;    stand    your 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  129 

ground :  but  you  will  have  a  hard  fight. 
They  mustered  all  their  children  up  at 
Sunday  School,  and  made  them  take  a 
pledge  of  total  abstinence." 

"  An'  what's  that  I " 

"  Made  them  promise  never  to  drink 
wine,  whisky,  beer,  or  cider." 

»"  Ila !  ha !  ha !  That's  a  good  joke. 
I'll  tell  your  honor.  I'll  fix  it.  I'll 
have  the  best  of  them  driink,  shure, 
bef  re  winter  comes  ag'in.  Now  you 
just  see." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,  James. 
You  had  better  go  slow.  I  would  hate 
to  see  some  of  those  lads  rolling  round 
these  streets.  Besides,  it  is  getting 
rather  hot  for  me  any  how  in  these  parts. 
They  blame  me  for  this  whole  thing.  1 
believe  (if  I  were  you)  I  would  keep 
clear  of  selling  to  the  boys  that  come 
around  your  shop." 


130  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  An'  what's  that  you  say  ?  Keep 
cl'are  sellin'  to  boys  as  come  around  my 
shop?  No,  sir.  I  pay  my  license  to 
sell,  an'  I  sell.  I  sell  to  man,  woman, 
or  children,  just  all  the  same.  If  it  is 
not  right  to  sell  to  the  boys,  it  is  not 
right  to  sell  to  the  men.  If  it  be  right 
to  sell  to  the  men,  it  is  right  to  sell  to 
boys." 

"  But,  James,  you  mustn't  forget  your 
friends.  You  see  it  is  getting  rather 
warm  for  me  here,  because  everybody 
says  I  was  the  cause  of  your  opening 
this  thing,  and  they  are  doing  all  they 
can  to  hurt  my  business." 

"  And  shure  I  don't  see  that  at  all. 
Didn't  the  other  men  help  out  \ 
Didn't  Tempultun  and  Furdertun  vote 
with  you  1 " 

"  Yes :  but,  you  see,  I  did  all  the 
talking  and  wire-working." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  131 

**  And  didn't  James  Snow  pay  you  for 

itr 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  what  are  you  growlin'  'bout 
him  forgettin'  his  friends  for  ]  " 

^Yise  was  somewhat  alarmed  at  Snow's 
attitude,  as  he  was  working  for  popular 
favor.  Having  made  all  he  could  out  of 
him,  he  sought  now  to  get  back  to  his 
old  place  in  public  opinion. 

That  night  Snow  began  to  lay  plans 
for  thwarting  the  designs  of  the  pastors 
and  Sunday-school  superintendents  of 
Green  Bluff.  A  legion  of  devils  seemed 
to  have  taken  possession  of  him.  He 
aimed  at  the  brightest  marks  in  the 
town. 


132  GBEEN   BLUFF. 


SPRING  had  gone,  and  Summer  waa 
waning  fast.  Sunny  Side  Saloon  waa 
increasing  in  business,  and  its  keeper 
becoming  more  bold  and  unscrupulous 
in  his  workings  for  patronage.  Thus 
fur,  the  evil  effects  of  the  saloon  were 
seen  ouly  in  the  loungers  who  gath- 
ered on  the  street  corners  and  stood 
around  the  door  of  Snow's  establishment. 
The  fear  that  existed  in  the  hearts  of 
some  was  passing  away.  Pastors  and 
church  officials,  teachers  and  parents, 
were  less  active  in  their  warfare  against 
the  traffic — in  their  warnings  were  less 
constant  and  earnest.  Not  so  with 
Snow.  He  remembered  and  cherished 
the  vow  to  ruin  the  strongest  of  the 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  133 

temperance  band  that  had  been  formed. 
\>  do  this,  was  no  small  task.     He  felt 
If  aggrieved  in  that  the  town  had 
granted   him   license   to    sell,   and   yet 
)ermitted,  even  encouraged,  systematic 
>pposition  to  his  business.     lie  wanted 
revenge,  and  was  determined  to  have  it 
-but   these   thoughts   he   kept   in  his 
>wn  heart. 

Charlie  Hayes  was  not  a  ,boy  whose 
>ride  ruled  his  judgment;  yet  he  was 
in  no  way  deficient  in  the  former.  The 
flattering  remarks  of  his  friends  did 
much  toward  increasing  his  stock  of 
self-esteem.  That  was  natural.  After 
a  time  it  became  apparent  that  he  loved 
to  hear  his  name  spoken  in  connection 
with  "best  declaimer,"  "fine  gestures," 
"  perfect  grace  of  manner."  That  be- 
came his  weak  point.  Who  of  us  have 
not  our  weaknesses? 


134  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  And  I  just  was  telling  these  men, 
that  they  never  heard  the  like  of  you  in 
speakin',"  said  Snow  to  Charlie,  one 
afternoon,  as  he  was  passing  his  shop. 

"  You  natter  me,"  said  Charlie,  how- 
ing  and  passing  on. 

"Not  a  bit  of  it.  Jest  you  step  in 
here  and  let  these  gintlemen  hear  you." 

"  And  we  will  be  pl'ased  if  you  will," 
said  one  of  Snow's  "  gintlemen,"  rising 
and  bowing  profoundly. 

"Indeed,  we  will,"  said  a  half-dozen 
others  in  chorus.  All  who  happened 
to  be  then  present  were  of  Snow's 
kind. 

"  But  I  am  afraid  I  would  not  please 
you  if  I  should.  My  declamation  that 
I  speak  best,  is  a  temperance  address, 
called  the  "Drunkard's  Fall,"  said 
Charlie,  blushing." 

"  An',  indeed,  that  will  please  us.    We 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  135 

are  no  dhrunkards  and  mane  niver  to 
be.  Do  ye  think  no  better  of  us  thin 
that  1 "  replied  Snow,  hi  an  assumed 
manner  of  injured  innocence. 

"Speak  it  for  them,"  whispered 
Pride ;  "  for  (as  an  excuse  and  argu- 
ment) it  may  do  them  good." 

"  Remember  your  pledge,"  said  Con- 
science. "  It  requires  that  you  go  not 
into  the  way  of  the  destroyer." 

"  Unless  to  rescue  some  friend,"  said 
Pride  and  Ambition,  together. 

"  It  is  useless  to  try  to  save  these  men 
— so  long  have  they  been  slaves  to  their 
appetites,"  said  Conscience,  "  so  do  not 
place  yourself  in  danger  when  there  is 
no  hope  of  success." 

These  thoughts  passed  rapidly 
through  his  mind  as  he  stood  half 

O 

undecided. 

"Come  right  in,  men;  he  will  spake 
to  us.  I  know." 


136  GREEN    BLUFF. 

They  all  followed  Snow  into  the 
saloon  and  ranged  themselves  around 
the  room,  while  Charlie  took  his  place 
on  a  bench  set  out  for  him.  He  spoke, 
but  with  little  ease  to  himself.  When 
he  had  finished,  all  were  loud  in  their 
praise.  Some  declared  they  never 
would  drink  another  drop.  Unsuspect- 
ing, Charlie  did  not  notice  that  their 
pledges  of  abstinence  were  ironical. 

He  hastened  home,  pleased  with  his 
afternoon's  work.  But  could  he  tell  his 
mother?  "No,"  he  said  to  himself;  "I 
must  not.  She  is  so  peculiar  about  my 
going  near  such  places,  it  will  only 
frighten  her.  I  won't  tell  any  one.  I 
wish  I  hadn't  gone  in.  Wonder  if  those 
men  were  in  earnest?  If  they  only 
were  !  Pshaw !  how  foolish  to  think  I 
2ould  move  them  from  the  wrong." 

"  An'  shure,  I  didn't  belave  he'd  bite 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  131 

BO  easy.  Just  be  easy,  men ;  things 
move  all  riglit.  The  ice  is  broke.  Kc's 
been  in.  That  much  of  the  pledge  is 
broke,  eny  how.  We'll  fix  him ! "  said 
Snow,  after  Charlie  had  gone. 

"  You  did  your  parts  nice,  men. 
Come  an'  drink  a  glass  of  beer  to  the 
temprince  pledge." 

"  You  have  him  shure,  James.  And 
you  may  count  on  us  to  help  you." 

Charlie's  ambitious  spirit  would  not 
let  him  remain  idle  during  the  vacation 

O 

months.  During  this  time  he  usually 
made  such  progress  in  his  studies  as  to 
gain  a  full  term  on  his  class.  This  close 
application  told  on  his  health.  The 
ruddy  glow  faded  from  his  cheek,  and 
the  sparkle  passed  from  his  eye,  unless 
excited  by  reading  or  conversation. 

His  mother  watched  him  with  tender 
solicitude,  and  little  May,  his  sister, 


138  GREEN    BLUFF. 

though  so  young,  noticed  the  change, 
and  oftentimes  tried  in  vain  to  call  back 
the  buoyant  spirit. 

Snow  noticed  the  change,  too. 

"  Charlie,  your  as  thin  as  a  shade, 
and  as  pale  as  the  moon ;  your  not  sick 
now  ? "  he  said  one  day,  as  he  met  him 
on  the  street,  reaching  out  his  hand, 
and  giving  Charlie  a  hearty  clasp. 

"  Not  sick,  but  very  tired." 

"  Tired  1  And  what  have  you  ben 
doing?" 

"  Nothing  but  reading,  and  such  like." 

"  And  does  your  bones  ache,  and  is 
your  feet  and  hands  cold,  and  head  hot  ?  " 

"  Just  exactly,"  said  Charlie,  interested. 
"  How  do  you  know  so  well  how  I  feel  1 " 

"  Ah !  my  boy,  I  know,"  said  Snow, 
with  a  knowing  shake  of  the  head. 
And  I  know  what'll  set  you  up  all 
right." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  139 

"  Do  tell  me.  I  have  suffered  so 
much  this  summer  from  pains  in  my 
bones,  and  cold  feet  and  hot  head,  that 
I  would  take  almost  any  kind  of  medi- 
cine." 

"  Well,  my  remedy  may  not  suit  you 
— but  it's  good  an'  shure." 

"What  is  iU" 

"  And  it's  nothin'  but  London  porter." 

"  Oh !  I  can't  take  that ! "  said  Char- 
lie, quickly. 

"And  why?" 

"  Because  I've  signed  the  temperance 
pledge,  and  it  says  we  must  not  drink 
any  kind  of  ale  or  beer." 

"  Just  so :  but  it  says  as  biverage, 
doesn't  it  ?  This  is  midicine,  shure. 
Great  dale  of  dif'rence. 

"  Yes,  I  know.  But  mother  would 
not  want  me  to  use  it." 

"  Nonsense,  child ;  your  mother  would 


140  GREEN    BLUFF. 

let  you  have  any  thing  that  will  help  her 
boy  ;  an'  I'm  shure  you're  too  smart  a  lad 
to  die  when  you  can  live." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  will  do  me 
good?" 

"  I  know  it  will.  But  try  it,  and  see 
for  yourself.  I'll  bring  you  a  bottle,  as  I 
go  home,  to-night.  It  shan't  cost  you  a 
cent.  You  can  try  it,  an'  if  it  isn't  as  I 
say,  you  needn't  buy  any  more.  That's 
all." 

Charlie  went  home  and  told  his 
mother  all  about  the  conversation  with 
Snow.  At  first  she  refused  to  let  him 
take  the  prescribed  remedy ;  but  finally 
concluded  it  was  her  duty,  as  a  mother, 
to  do  all  she  could  to  preserve  her  son's 
health,  and  consented  to  his  receiving 
the  ale  and  using  it.  How  much  better 
and  safer  it  would  have  been  for  her 
to  have  removed  the  cause  of  Charlie's 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  141 

poor  health,  by  putting  aside  his  books 
and  forcing  him  out  into  the  fresh  air, 
instead  of  allowing  the  cause  to  remain, 
and  trying  to  counteract  the  effect  by 
another  opposite  cause. 

That  night  Snow  stopped  aud  left 
the  bottle  of  ale  at  Mrs.  Haves',  and 
expressed  great  concern  for  the  health 
of  her  boy.  His  kindness  touched  a 
tender  chord,  and  she  felt  .that  he  had 
been  traduced  by  many. 

"  He  is  not  such  a  hard-hearted  man, 
after  all,"  she  said  to  Charlie,  as  she 
was  afterward  talking  the  matter  over 
with  him.  "I  offered  to  pay  for  the 
bottle  of  ale,  but  he  refused,  and  said 
he  would  be  paid  if  you  could  only  get 
well  and  stout  again."  She  looked  ad- 
miringly at  her  boy,  who  lay  stretched 
on  the  sofa,  thin  and  haggard.  If  she 
could  have  only  seen  the  serpent  hid 


142  GREEN    BLUFF. 

away  in  Snow's  heart — but  she  did  not. 
If  she  had  only  remembered  the  com- 
mand to  avoid  every  appearance  of  evil 
— but  she  did  not. 

True  to  Snow's  word,  Charlie  did 
feel  better  after  drinking  the  ale  a  day 
or  two.  He  came  to  the  table  with  a 
renewed  appetite.  Some  of  the  old 
lustre  came  back  to  his  eyes;  some  of 
the  buoyancy  of  spirit  returned.  With 
these  came  a  love  for  the  remedy.  At 
first  it  was  disagreeable  to  the  taste — 
now  it  was  pleasant.  He  sought  it  for 
every  symptom  of  pain.  It  generally 
proved  efficient.  Weekly  he  visited 
Snow's  to  get  a  new  supply.  Snow  was 
considerate,  and  sold  it  to  him  at  cost. 
But,  even  then,  it  was  dear  medicine  for 
him.  This  Snow  knew. 

Could  Charlie  and  his  mother  have 
seen  the  maliciousness  that  lurked  hi 


A  TEMPERANCE   STORY.  143 

seen  the  maliciousness  that  lurked  in 
Snow's  heart,  and  have  heard  the  boasts 
he  made,  they  would  have  been  more 
wary. 

Why  did  they  not  suspect  his  de- 
signs? Would  they  trust  a  professed 
burglar,  and  welcome  him  to  their 
homes?  Would  they  toy  with  a  ser- 
pent, and  fold  it  in  their  bosoms  J 
They  did. 


144  GREEN   BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE'  sluice-gate  had  been  raised,  and 
Green  Bluff  was  threatened  with  inun- 
dation by  intemperance  and  its  accom- 
panying vices. 

The  railroad  was  completed.  It  Lad 
given  a  new  impetus  to  the  business  of 
our  town — hitherto  a  quiet,  attractive 
village;  now  a  wide-awaVe,  bustling 
young  city. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  in  ecstasies.  Ilia 
property  had  increased  in  value  nearly 
two-fold.  His  new  store-rooms  were 
done  and  all  occupied,  save  one,  which 
he  had  been  holding  for  better  terms 
than  had  been  offered.  He  sat  alone  in 
his  office,  in  early  autumn,  not  engaged 
in  writing,  as  usual,  but  in  a  reverie. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  145 

Immense  wealth  lay  just  before  him.  A 
few  years  more  must  come  and  go,  and 
then  he  could  retire  from  active  busi- 
ness a  millionaire.  He  was  already 
trembling  with  age,  but  was  as  eager 
for  wealth  as  if  he  had  just  entered  life 
and  had  every  assurance  of  many  years 
to  live.  The  thoughts  that  occupied  his 
mind  thrilled  his  every  nerve  by  their 
strange  power.  He  could  sit  still  no 
longer.  Springing  to  his  feet,  and  fold- 
ing his  arms  behind  him,  he  strode  to 
and  fro  across  his  office  with  sparkling 
eye,  flushed  face,  and  tightly  compress- 
ed lips.  He  seemed  to  strain  every 
nerve,  as  if  he  would  force  time  in  its 
sluggish  movements,  and  bring  within 
his  immediate  grasp  what  he  was  sure 
lay  but  a  few  years — perhaps  only  one 
year — from  him.  As  before  intimated, 
he  had  two  idols — money  and  his  son. 


J46  GREEN    BLUFF. 

He  was  regularly  at  church,  and 
watched  the  speaker  with  fixed  atten- 
tion ;  but  his  thoughts  were  not  of  God 
— they  looked  not  so  high.  In  the  quiet 
of  the  sanctuary  he  planned  his  busi- 
ness. From  the  house  of  worship  he 
went  home  thoughtfully — but  the  text 
he  pondered  was  money.  "  I  will  stay  in 
this  city,  and  get  gain,"  he  said  contin- 
ually to  himself.  Was  he  a  Christian  ? 
He  thought  so.  He  gave  of  his  earthly 
substance  to  the  support  of  the  Gospel ; 
he  prayed  when  called  on  in  public- 
prayed  the  same  prayer  always ;  he 
prayed  at  night  before  retiring — he 
could  not  shake  off  this  habit  of  his 
earlier  years. 

He  was  interrupted  in  his  walk  and 
reverie  by  the  entrance  of  a  neatly  at- 
tired man,  who  accosted  him  with — 

"Mr.  Thomas,  I  believe.  Jones,  is 
my  name." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  147 

"  Be  seated,  Mr.  Jones." 

"  I  understand,  Mr.  Thomas,  you 
have  a  store-room,  on  Main  street,  un- 
occupied, which  you  desire  to  rent." 

"  Just  so,  sir ;  do  you  wish  to  rent  it  ?" 

"I  do,  if  we  can  make  satisfactory 
terms." 

"  My  price  is  seemingly  high  ;  but  1 
will  rent  for  no  less.  I  can  get  that  by- 
and-by,  if  not  now.  I  want  forty  dol 
lars  per  month,  always  in  advance." 

Jones  raised  his  eyes  in  astonish 
ment.  After  a  few  other  words,  with- 
out affecting  a  reduction,  he  agreed  to 
take  the  room. 

"What  is  your  business?"  queried 
Mr.  Thomas. 

"I  desire  to  open  a  respectable  bil- 
liard saloon,  sir.  with  a  genteel  bar  in 
connection  with  it,"  he  replied  blandly. 

"Indeed!"  said  Thomas,  somewhat 
surprised. 


148  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  Yes,  I  think  so  enterprising  a 
place  as  this  needs  some  such  place 
for  the  amusement  of  the  young  men. 
There  is  nothing  so  entertaining  as  bil- 
liards ;  it  is  really  an  intellectual  game." 

"Yes,  yes:  I  suppose  it  is.  But  I 
am  thinking  you  will  find  poor  patron- 
age, here.  As  to  your  bar,  I  think  one 
saloon  is  enough  for  a  place  like  this." 

"  Never  fear  for  my  patronage.  I  un- 
derstand my  business,  sir.  I  intend  to 
make  my  room  as  attractive  as  possible. 
As  to  the  other  saloon,  I  have  nothing 
to  fear  from  that.  Indeed,  it  has  been 
my  best  friend  I  have  already  been 
•  told  that  pome  of  the  gentlemen  of  your 
place,  who  have  gone  to  Snow's  occa- 
sionally, have  desired  a  respectable  place 
to  visit :  such  a  place  mine  shall  be." 

"  I  fear  it  will  cause  some  of  our 
young  men  to  grow  up  profligates — 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  149 

(said  Thomas,  half  to  himself — this  con- 
fession was  forced  oat  by  his  troubled 
conscience)  and  if  it  does  won't  I  be 
blamed  for  it?" 

"Not  at  all,  sir;  not  at  all.  Just,  let 
me  show  you  how  that  is.  Your  busi- 
ness is  to  build  store-rooms  to  rent.  In 
doing  that,  you  add  to  the  wealth  and 
attractiveness  of  your  town,  and  do  your 
duty  as  one  of  its  citizens/  Don't  you 
see?  Well,  now,  when  a  man  comes  to 
you  to  rent  one  of  those  rooms,  you  rent 
it  to  him,  provided  he  pays  your  price. 
Now,  it  is  not  your  place  to  inquire  what 
use  he  is  going  to  make  of  it,  just  so  he 
don't  abuse  it.  Don't  you  see  ?  If  I  go 
to  a  merchant,  and  buy  a  rope,  he  doesn't 
inquire  if  I  am  going  to  hang  myself,  or 
some  one  else.  Don't  you  see  ?" 

Thomas  thought  he  saw.  lie  was 
very  willing  to  see.  The  four  ten  dol- 


150  GREEN    BLUFF. 

lar  bills,  fluttering  iu  the  hand  of  Jones, 
opened  his  eyes,  and  hastened  his  efforts 
to  still  his  conscience  that  was  crying 
out  against  the  act.  He  took  the 
money  and  nervously  tucked  it  away  in 
his  purse.  His  conscience  lashed  him 
as  it  never  had  before. 

"  It  is  not  my  fault.  I  didn't  know 
what  his  business  was."  He  said  to 
himself. 

"It  is  your  fault.  You  did  know 
what  his  business  is,  before  you  ever 
touched  the  money,"  said  Conscience. 

"I  can't  help  it  now." 

"You  can  help  it.  Take  the  money 
back,  and  add  another  ten  to  it,  rather 
than  be  an  accessory  to  such  a  crime," 
replied  Conscience. 

"It  isn't  a  crime.  The  town  licenses 
such  places.  I  can't  help  it." 

"It  is  »  "*-ime.     ^Tou  can  help  it." 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  151 

"  If  he  doesn't  get  my  room,  he  will 
rent  some  other" 

"Then,  clear  your  own  skirts.  He- 
member,  'Cursed  is  the  man  that  put- 
teth  the  bottle  to  his  neighbor's  lips.' " 

"  I'll  use  the  money  for  charitable 
purposes — at  least  part  of  it." 

Stilling  his  conscience  by  this  plea, 
he  gathered  up  his  hat  and  hurried  out, 
to  rid  himself  of  any  further  thoughts 
on  the  subject.  In  vain  were  all  his 
efforts,  until  time  hushed  the  warning 
voice  within  him. 

As  Judas  betrayed  his  Master  for 
thirty  pieces,  so  had  Thomas  betray- 
ed the  safety  of  his  own'  son  and  the 
interests  of  his  town  for  a  paltry  sum. 
Judas'  remorse  of  conscience  came  too 
lute  to  save  him  from  the  penalty  of  his 
crime.  Will  Thomas  reap  a  like  bitter 
harvest  I  "  He  that  soweth  to  the  wind 
•;li:ill  reap  the  whirl  wiiu1  " 


159  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

JONES  was  not  dilatory  in  opening  his 
billiard-hall.  True,  it  was  as  he  said. 
he  understood  his  business.  A  musical 
instrument,  which  played  a  variety  of 
tunes  in  a  most  charming  manner,  was 
purchased,  and  immediately  installed 
A  passer-by,  hearing  the  sweet  sounds 
within,  would  imagine  that  a  brass  band 
of  the  oreatest  skill  was  the  cause.  At 

o 

other  times,  when  the  instrument  was 
changed,  he  would  suppose  an  orchestra, 
composed  of  organ,  piano,  flute,  violin, 
bass  viol,  and  cornet,  rendered  the 
music. 

It  requires  no  strong  imagination  to 
conceive  the  influence  th's  combination 
of  curious  mechanism  and  sweet  sound 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  153 

would  have  upon  the  youth  of  Green 
Bluff.  As  the  simple  music  of  Snow's 
violin  and  vocal  powers  lured  them  near 
to  his  den,  so  the  exquisite  strains  of 
Jones'  establishment  tempted  them  to  a 
scat  within  its  doors.  Once  within,  they 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  stay 
and  witness  the  sharp  contest  between 
expert  billiard  players,  that  had  been 
brought  to  the  place  by  Jones  as  a  bait 
for  the  unsophisticated. 

To  what  lengths  will  the  emissaries 
of  Satan  go  to  accomplish  the  death  of 
a  single  soul !  How  slow  are  Christians 
to  use  the  means  at  hand  for  thwarting 
the  designs  of  these  Satanic  agents. 

Jones,  himself,  was  attractive  in  man- 
ner. He  spared  no  pains  to  ingratiate 
himself  into  the  good  graces  of  the 
young,  especially — but  of  the  old,  too. 

He  was  too   wary  to  denounce,  out 


154  GREEN    BLUFF. 

right,  their  prejudices  in  favor  of  strict 
temperance  principles.  Indeed,  he  wag 
an  advocate  of  temperance  himself,  he 
said ;  as  he  claimed,  that  any  man  could 
control  his  appetite,  if  he  would,  and 
need  not  drink  to  excess.  He  would 
frequently  say  to  the  group  of  young 
men  and  boys  gathered  in  his  saloon : 

"  Why,  I'm  as  much  opposed  to  in- 
temperance  as  Parson  Gibson,  every 
bit.  I  never  get  drunk  and  roll  in  the 
streets.  I  would  be  mortified  beyond 
measure,  if  I  should  ever  so  far  forget 
my  dignity  as  to  do  that.  But,  then,  I 
see  no  harm  in  a  social  glass,  now  and 
then — indeed,  I  think,  it  is  good  for 
one's  health.  Besides,  one  can't  go  in- 
to respectable  society,  if  he  don't  drink 
a  little  wine,  or  gin,  or  something  of 
that  kind — that  is,  in  a  town  of  any 
size.  Oh,  you  can,  here,  to  be  sure— 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  155 

but,  then,  you  can't  by-aud-by.  Things 
are  changing,  even  here.  I  wouldn't 
sign  any  temperance  pledge.  Ha !  ha ! 
ha !  The  idea  is  absurd !  Ha  !  ha !  Why, 
my  manhood  is  enough  pledge  for  me. 
It  is  an  old  fogy  notion,  that  we 
mustn't  have  any  pleasure  in  this  world. 
I  say,  let  every  man  do  as  he  pleases. 
If  any  of  you,  young  men,  want  to  come 
here,  and  have  a  good  social  game  at 
billiards,  and  then  a  glass  of  beer,  or 
wine,  or  gin — why,  I  say,  your  fathers 
are  old  fools,  if  they  say  any  thing 
against  it.  You'd  better  be  here,  learn- 
ing something  of  the  world,  than  at 
home  moping  over  an  old  book,  or  play- 
ing servant  to  your  mother  or  sister. 
Besides,  there's  time  enough,  by-aud- 
by,  boys,  to  settle  down  and  be  old  folka 
—but,  now,  while  you  have  no  wife  or 
children  hanging  to  you,  you'd  better  be 


156  GREEN    BLUFF. 

having  a  good  time,  for  you  can't  liavo 
any  after  that.     I  go  in  for  temperance 
— of  course,   I   do :  but   not  for  absti 
uence.     No,  sir." 

Thus,  this  oily-tongued,  nicely-attired 
man,  spread  broad -cast  his  ideas  of  right 
and  wrong,  and  sowed  seeds  of  disobe- 
dience to  parents,  and  tempted  the  youth 
into  his  clutches. 

More  than  one  home  in  Green  Bluff 
felt  the  effect  of  his  baleful  influence. 
The  once-dutiful  lad  became  restive  un- 
der parental  restraint.  The  studious, 
quiet,  loving  brother,  changed  into  the 
listless,  noisy,  impatient  boy.  Where 
once  was  an  unbroken  family  circle 
around  the  fire-place,  or  gathered  about 
the  social  board,  there  was  one  or  more 
empty  seats.  The  parents  that  once 
bade  their  sons  and  daughters  "  Good 
Night,"  and  retired  in  peace,  now  go  t«i 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  157 

their  beds  without  the  parting  kiss  of  the 
son,  just  budding  into  manhood,  and  re- 
tire  to  toss  restlessly  on  their  couches, 
until  the  heavy  tread  on  the  stairway, 
and  the  half-angry  mutterings  in  the 
room  above,  tell  of  the  return  of  the 
boy  that  once  was  their  pride,  but  now 
bids  fair  to  be  the  curse  of  their  old 
age. 

The  sales  of  the  two  liquor  establish- 
ments were  immense,  and  their  profits 
large.  This  was  evidenced  by  the  cost- 
liness of  their  furniture  and  the  extrav 
agance  of  their  proprietors. 

Snow  removed  his  saloon  from  the 
by-street,  where  he  had  first  opened 
it,  to  a  commodious  room  on  Main 
street,  that  he  might  successfully  com- 
pete with  his  formidable  rival.  Ilia 
apartment  was  but  little  less  attractive 
than  the  latter 


158  GREEN    BLUFF. 

If  these  two  men  could  grow  rich  by 
this  traffic,  why  not  others  ?  Certainly, 
that  was  a  correct  and  sensible  ques- 
tion, and  received  an  affirmative  answer 
from  several  other  men  as  unscrupulous 
as  to  the  means  of  obtaining  wealth 
as  were  Jones  and  Snow.  Not  many 
months  elapsea  after  Jones  was  estab- 
lished, before  Green  Bluff  had  the  mor- 
tification of  reading  among  her  othe- 
signs  over  store  doors,  those  of  "  Sunny 
Side  Saloon,"  "Jones'  Billiard  Hall," 
"Quiet  Retreat,"  "The  Poor  Man's 
Rest,"  and  "The  Anchor  House." 

These  all  sprang  up  as  in  a  night. 
Whence  they  came,  none  could  scarcely 
tell.  That  they  all  lived,  was  a  contin- 
ual wonder  to  some.  "Where  do  they 
get  their  support?"  was  often  asked, 
but  seldom  received  a  satisfactory  an- 
swer. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  159 

One  day,  as  a  miner  was  returning 
home  from  work,  he  stopped  in  front 
of  Snow's  "  Sunny  Side,"  and  looked 
admiringly  at  the  beautiful  sign  that 
swung  in  the  breeze,  over  his  door,  and 
gazed  at  the  nicely-painted  windows 

—  (saloons  always  have  their  windows 
painted,  and  a  screen  before  the  door- — 
they  are  those  who  love  darkness  rather 
thc'in  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil) 

—  through   which,   however,   he   could 
Bee  the  glow  of  the  red-hot  stove.     He 
opened  the  door  and  entered.      Hands 
and  feet  benumbed  with  cold,  he  grate- 
fully drew  near  to  the  fire,  and,  while 
warming  his  cold  limbs,  looked  about 
on  the  pictures  in  gay  colors,  tastefully 
arranged,  and  felt  that  he  was  in  a  little 
paradise.     It  was  so  unlike  his  work- 
shop — his  narrow,  dark,  damp,  dismal 
den,  under   the   ground,  where  day  in 


160          GREEN  BLUFF. 

and  day  out  he  toiled  —  so  unlike  hia 
own  home,  with  its  scanty  furnishings, 
bare  walls,  bare  floors,  creaking  doors, 
broken  windows,  poor,  ill-fed  fire,  dis- 
tressed-looking wife,  hungry  children— 
so  unlike  these,  that  he  wished  he 
could  stay  here  always.  He  looked  at 
Snow,  behind  the  counter,  arrayed  in  a 
clean  white  shirt,  clean  apron,  blue 
pants,  and  blacked  boots,  and  thought 
him  his  best  friend.  He  wondered  at 
the  goodness  of  the  man  that  would 
provide  all  these  comforts  for  him,  a 
poor,  hard-worked  miner.  He  was  as- 
tonished at  the  condescension  of  the 
man  that  would  let  him  come  into  his 
house,  and,  although  black  with  the 
dirt  of  the  mine,  permit  him  to  sit  by 
his  fire,  or  stretch  himself  upon  a 
bench  and  rest.  As  he  gazed  at  Snow, 
the  author  of  his  present  happiness, 


A    TEMPERANCE    8TOEY.  161 

he  loved  him  in  his  heart,  and  felt  no 
task  too  hard  to  perform  for  him. 

Rising  from  his  chair,  brimful  of 
kind  feelings,  excited  by  his  thoughts 
just  mentioned,  he  approached  the 
counter,  and  grasping  Snow's  hand  in 
his  own  black,  bony  one,  he  said : 

"  Ah,  James,  I'm  glad  yon  have  fitted 
up  '  Sunny  Side '  so  comfortably.  You 
may  look  for  me  -here  every  night,  sure. 
IIo\v  could  you  afford  it,  though  ?  " 

"  I  can  afford  any  thing  for  such  cus- 
tomers as  you.  Don't  I  know  what  you 
like?" 

"  Indeed,  you  do,  James,  and  you 
shall  never  be  the  loser  by  it.  I  spend 
MS  much  more,  sometimes,  every  week, 
for  liquor,  than  I  do  for  my  whole  fam- 
ily, clothing  and  all." 

Just  so,  poor,  blinded  man !  Here 
is  the  secret!  You,  and  all  the  other 


162  GREEN    BLUFF. 

poor  men,  give  more  than  half  of  all 
their  earnings  to  the  dram-seller,  and 
then  wonder  why  they  can  afford  to  fit 
up  such  nice  apartments  for  your  ben- 
3fit.  Yvur  benefit!  Those  gilded  pic- 
,,ures,  that  warm  fire,  the  comfortable 
chairs,  the  easy  lounges,  are  only  baits 
to  draw  you  on. 

Do  you  draw  a  contrast  between  the 
attractiveness  of  these  places  and  your 
own  scant  homes?  Give  to  your  wives 
the  money  and  the  kind  words  yoa 
lavish  on  these  emissaries  of  Satan,  and 
your  homes  will  come  up  out  of  their 
degradation,  and  become  not  paradises 
in  appearance  only,  but  paradises  in 
reality.  Then  the  wife  will  no  more  go 
with  a  broken  heart  and  bowed  head, 
but  will  be  the  bright,  joyous  creature 
she  was  when  you  married  her.  Look 
no  more  at  the  man  that  robs  you  of 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  163 

your  money,  and  steals  the  food  from 
the  mouths  of  your  wife  and  little  ones, 
and  tears  the  clothing  from  their  backs, 
to  beautify  his  own  den  of  wickedness, 
and  lure  your  soul  to  certain  and  eter- 
nal ruin,  and  call  him  your  friend.  lie 
is  a  fiend  in  human  shape.  Let  the 
words  of  God's  own  book  be  a  warning 
to  you:  "Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money 
for  that  which  is  not  bread  ?  and  your 
labor  for  that  which  satisfieth  not!" 


164  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  time  for  the  election  .of  new 
council  men  came  again.  The  advocates 
of  anti-license,  depending  upon  the 
strength  of  their  principles,  put  forth 
no  extra  effort,  and,  indeed,  met  the  op- 
position with  no  organization,  and  con- 
sequently no  concert  of  action.  The  re- 
sult was  as  might  have  been  predicted 
from  such  carelessness — the  license  par- 
ty gained  the  day,  again  electing  three 
out  of  five  couucilmen. 

There  was  high  glee  in  the  various 
saloons  when  the  vote  was  announced. 
The  temperance  party  were  chagrined 
and  grieved  beyond  measure.  Another 
year,  at  least,  of  ruin  was  before  them. 

The  experience  of  the  past  year  de- 


A.    TEMPERANCE    STORY  165 

monstrated  the  fact,  that  the  police  force 
must  be  increased.  Hitherto,  one  mar 
shal  was  sufficient  to  keep  order.  Now, 
they  found  it  necessary  to  employ  three 
policemen  besides  the  marshal.  Two  of 
these  were  on  duty  during  the  day,  and 
two  during  the  night.  The  salary  of 
each  policeman  was  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  and  that  of  the  marshal  five 
hundred,  to  which  was  added  a  fee  of 
one  dollar  for  every  arrest  of  disorderly 
person  and  fine  for  every  detection  of 
violation  of  town  regulations  by  saloon 
keepers.  The  economy  of  the  license 
plan  now  became  apparent.  It  was  not 
difficult  for  any  one  to  calculate  how  un- 
wise, in  a  luoney  point  of  view,  was  the 
license  scheme.  Five  saloons,  at  seven- 
ty-five dollars  each,  brought  into  the  city 
ury  three  hundred  and  seventy-five 
dollars,  while  the  salaries  of  the  mar- 


166  GREEN    BLUFF. 


and  policemen  amounted  to  fifteen 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  leaving  a  clear 
loss  to  the  town  of  eleven  bundled  and 
seventy-five  dollars,  besides  the  amount 
paid  out  for  arrests  and  detection  of 
irregularities  of  the  dealers  in  liquor, 
which  amounted  to  one  or  two  hundred 
each  year.  To  this,  add  the  fees  of  city 
attorney  and  police  magistrate,  and  you 
have  another  hundred,  which  makes  a 
total  loss  of  nearly  fifteen  hundred 
dollars. 

These  facts  appeared  in  the  report  of 
the  treasurer,  made  public  after  the 
election.  Had  they  been  known  before, 
the  result  might  have  been  different. 
They  were  not  known.  The  result  was 
not  different. 

The  quiet  of  the  town  suffered.  It 
was  just  after  midnight,  in  early  spring, 
vlien  the  bells  rang  out  the  alarm  of 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  167 

fire.  From  every  house  rushed  ineii 
aud  boys,  gazing  this  and  that  way  to 
discover  the  place  of  the  fire.  The  hook 
and  ladder  company  were  soon  at  their 
room,  and  had  their  car,  heavily  laden 
with  ropes,  ladders,  buckets,  axes, 
hooks,  &c.j  under  way,  drawn  by  a  score 
or  more  men  roused  from  their  slum 
bers.  To  the  surprise  of  every  one, 
flames  lighted  up  the  windows  and 
cupola  of  the  school  building.  Intensest 
indignation  swayed  the  hearts  of  all  as 
they  almost  flew  along  the  streets  to 
rescue  this  precious  piece  of  property 
from  destruction.  What  could  equal 
their  anger,  to  find  the  alarm  caused  by 
a  pile  of  burning  boxes  aud  barrels  in 
the  yard,  ignited  by  a  let  of  drunken 
boys,  who  had  also  broken  into  th« 
church  towers  to  ring  the  bulls  to  give 
the  alarm.  Thankful,  iiidtu-il,  were  all, 


168  GREEN    BLUFF. 

that  it  was  a  false  alarm,  and  yet  great 
was  their  anger  at  the  depravity  of  the 
ruffians  that  had  done  the  deed. 

"Why  didn't   the   night  watch    dis- 
cover the  actors  ? " 

Why? 

When  Spring  had  fully  come  and  flow 
ers  were  dotting  the  yards  and  filling 
the  air  with  perfume,  when  the  early 
vegetables  were  ripening  for  use,  fur- 
nishing many  poor  families  with  a  de- 
lightful change  from  the  unvarying  diet 
of  Winter,  the  spirit  of  Satanic  mischief 
was  let  lose  to  enter  the  hearts  of  the 
saloon  loungers,  so  that  the  sun  rose  to 
light  up  broken,  dying  rose  bushes, 
marred  flower  beds  and  trampled  gar- 
dens, as  gates  from  barn-yards  and  gar- 
dens had  been  unhinged  and  hid  away  or 
thrown  wide  open,  permitting  cows  and 
hogs  to  enter  and  devour  and  destroy. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  16S 

The  watering  troughs  at  the  public 
\\clls  were  torn  from  their  places  and 
piled  up  for  blockade  in  the  middle  of 
the  street,  while  many  of  the  trees  in  the 
park  were  hacked  and  stripped  of  bark 
and  left  to  die.  In  the  roads,  near  the 
suburbs  of  the  town,  fences  were  built 
across  the  highway,  and  boards  from 
bridges  were  torn  up,  exposing  travelers 
to  imminent  danger  of  broken  limbs  or 
necks. 

"  Where  were  the  night  police  ? "  do 
you  ask  ?  We  answer,  "  Where  ? " 

Such  scenes  were  uncommon  in  Green 
Bluff  two  years  previous.  Uncommon, 
did  I  say  ?  Let  me  correct  that,  by 
saying,  they  were  not  known  at  all 
What  wrought  the  change?  Who  so 
blind  as  not  to  see? 


170  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

NEARLY  two  years  have  passed  since 
the  reader  first  looked  into  Mr.  Stone's 
house.  It  is  evening  again,  and  we  see 
the  same  group  gathered  about  the  tea- 
table.  There  have  been  some  changes 
in  the  appearance  of  two  of  the  group. 
A  year  at  college  has  added  a  new  beauty 
to  Lucy's  face,  always  attractive.  Her 
affection  for  Walter  has  diminished  not 
a  whit,  but  rather  increased.  It  was  his 
generosity  that  gave  her  the  advantage 
of  an  education  abroad.  She  knows  and 
appreciates  it  fully,  so  we  wonder  not  at 
the  tenderness  of  her  manner  toward 
him.  Two  lovers  could  scarcely  be 
more  closely  attached  than  are  these 
two.  Scarcely,  I  say,  for  however  much 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  171 

love  Lucy  has  for  Walter,  she  has  more 
for  another.  The  young  doctor  is  the 
chief  of  her  earthly  affections. 

A  change  very  marked  in  its  outline 
has  been  wrought  in  Walter's  manner. 
The  responsibility  thrown  upon  him  for 
the  last  two  years  has  gi^en  every  act 
and  word  the  air  that  belongs  to  the 
mature  man.  He  is  twenty-two,  but  at 
times  he  looks  ten  years  older.  Not 
that  he  has  lost  any  of  his  boyish  buoy- 
ancy of  spirit.  His  eye  sparkles  as 
bright  as  ever,  and  his  step  is  no  less 
light,  but  firmer.  The  real  nobility  of 
his  character  is  rapidly  developing  it- 
self. His  face  betokens  thought.  His 
conversation  shows  culture.  He  is  a 
collier,  it  is  true,  but  for  all  that,  he  has 
a  spirit  that  can  never  be  shut  up  in  tha 
dark  mines  any  more  than  the  sunlight 
be  imprisoned  by  doors  and  bolts. 


172  GREEN    BLUFF. 

He  has  influence  wherever  he  goes, 
His  learning  is  not  extensive,  but  i.s 
thorough  and  practical.  His  nights 
have  been  spent  with  his  books,  when 
they  were  not  occupied  with  deeds  of 
love,  such  as  visiting  the  sick  fami- 
lies of  his  men.  His  refinement  is  the 
effect  of  his  reading,  observation,  and 
practice  in  the  home  circle.  His  moth- 
er, regarded  as  a  queen — as  she  is  to 
him — and  his  sister  as  a  princess.  To 
them  he  manifests  as  much  politeness 
as  he  would  show  if  in  the  presence 
of  the  mightiest  potentate.  His  home 
training  makes  him  at  ease  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  rich,  the  cultivated,  and 
gives  him  a  passport  into  the  best  so. 
ciety,  and  gains  for  him  the  admiration 
of  all  his  acquaintances. 

No  change  is  visible  in  Mr.  and  Mrs 
Stone,    uuless    it    be    a  few  more  gray 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  173 

hairs,  a  little  faltering  in  step,  and  a 
slight  quiver  in  the  voice.  They  are  the 
two  fond,  proud  parents  we  first  knew. 

"I  do  not  like  to  be  suspicious,"  said 
Mr.  Stone,  on  the  evening  of  which 
we  write;  "but,  I  am  afraid,  I  have 
grounds  to  be." 

"  Suspicious  of  whom,  father  ? "  ask- 
ed Walter. 

"  Of  Charlie  Hayes." 

"  Charlie  Hayes  ! " 

"Yes.  It  seemed  to  me,  as  I  met 
him  on  the  street  to-day,  there  was  a 
tottering  in  his  step,  and  " 

"Father!"  said  Lucy,  in  astonish- 
ment, dropping  her  knife  and  fork. 

"And  it  seemed,"  continued  her 
father,  "  that  he  spoke  very  queerly." 

"  What  will  his  poor  mother  do,  if  he 
does  drink  ?  It  will  surely  break  her 
heart" 


174  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"Well,  I  guess  he  does  drink,"  said 
Mr.  Stone,  thoughtfully. 

"  And  so  young ! " 

A  silence  fell  on  alL  For  some  min- 
ates  no  one  spoke. 

Mr.  Stone  nervously  thumped  his 
knife  handle  against  the  table,  while 
his  head  rested  on  his  hand  in  a 
thoughtful  manner. 

"  Just  as  I  expected,"  and  he  gave  his 
knife  a  harder  thump.  "  I  saw  all  this 
the  night  a  vote  was  taken  on  the  li- 
cense of  Patterson.  When  I  think  of 
the  mischief  that  man  and  Jones  have 
done,  I  can  scarcely  contain  myself. 
It  is  murder — deliberate,  malicious, 
murder — in  Charlie  Hayes1  case.  I  was 
told,  to-day,  that  Snow  had  been  boast- 
ing over  his  victory.  It  is  awful !  " 

"It  is  awful,  father,"  said  Walter, 
"  but  let  us  hope  for  the  best.  Charlie 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  175 

is  iiot  "beyond  recovery.  He  is  young 
and  the  love  for  drink  has  not  taken 
a  deep  hold  on  him,  I  think." 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  that  does  not 
make  Snow's  crime  any  the  less,  nor 
does  it  excuse  those  men  who  voted 
for  his  license.  God's  wrath  is  said  to 
slumber,  I  believe;  but  it  will  surely 
wake  up,  and  then  where  will  these 
men  stand ! " 

"  Colbert  is  on  the  decline,  too,"  said 
Walter.  "  He  is  not  at  the  mine  more 
than  five  days  out  of  each  week.  1  have 
talked  with  him,  and  tried  to  show  him 
his  danger.  Sometimes  he  is  penitent 
and  weeps  like  a  child,  and  promises  to 
reform,  but  in  less  than  a  week  he  is 
down  again.  He  did  do  better  for 
awhile,  before  the  saloons  were  opened. 
Now  he  finds  no  escape  from  tempta* 
tion." 


176  GREEN  BLUFF 

"If  you  begin  to  count  up  the  vie- 
tims,  you  will  not  be  able  to  stop  to. 
night.  And,  what  is  worse,  it  is  creep- 
ing into  our  churches,  and  stealing  our 
most  promising  young  men.  There  is 
young  Jambres  that  is  going  just  like 
Hayes." 

"Why,  father,"  said  Lucy,  in  great 
pain,  "is  it  possible  that  all  this  has 
been  done  in  the  last  two  years  ?  " 

"  All  this  ?  "  Why,  my  dear,  you  can 
have  no  idea  of  what  ruin  is  wrought 

o 

in  our  town  until  you  have  been  on 
the  street,  as  I  have  been,  and  see  the 
scores  of  men  a.nd  boys  that  are  becom- 
ing drunkards  as  fast  as  time  moves." 

"And,  what  is  worse,"  said  Walter, 
the  sale  of  liquor  is  not  confined  to  the 
saloons,  for  many  of  the  grocery  keep- 
ers have  it  to  sell,  or  rather,  as  they 
claim,  to  give  to  their  customers.  They 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY.  177 

must  do  this  to  keep  the  trade.  The 
drug-stores  deal  it  out  as  medicine  con- 
stantly." 

"It  is  awful  to  think  of,  I  declare," 
said  Mr.  Stone.  "What  provokes  me 
worse,  is  to  see  some  of  our  church 
members  helping  the  damnable  traffic 
along." 

"  Why,  father,  do  they  visit  the  sa- 
loons?" 

"  No ;  but  worse  than  that,  they  furn- 
ish the  house  to  sell  it  in,  and  that  for  a 
mere  pittance.  I  would  beg  bread  from 
door  to  door,  before  I'd  do  it." 

"  Who  does  that  ?  You  haven't  told 
me  of  it  in  your  letters." 

"  Haven't  we  ?  Why,  no  other  than 
Mr.  Thomas." 

"  Mr.  Thomas ! "  said  Lucy,  in  sur- 
prise. "Why  does  John  let  him?  He 
surely  can  control  his  father  in  that!" 


178  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"He  claims,  I  believe,  that  business 
is  business,  and  that  he  has  no  right  to 
ask  a  man  what  he  will  put  into  his 
store-room." 

"Miserable  excuse!"  said  Walter. 
"  If  he  should  propose  to  use  the  room 
for  a  hospital  for  the  cure  of  yellow  fever 
or  small-pox,  I  think  he  would  refuse 
to  let  it,  and  the  town  would  rise  up,  en 
masse,  to  prevent  his  letting  it  for  such 
a  purpose." 

"  So  they  would,  and  justly,  too.  As 
it  is,  he  has  rented  it  for  a  purpose  far 
more  dangerous  to  the  moral  health  of 
the  community  than  is  small-pox  to  the 
physical.  What  could  have  possessed 
him  to  do  it?"  said  the  daughter. 

"What  possessed  him?  One  of  Sa- 
tan's blackest  imps — covetousness." 

"And  I  am  afraid,"  said  Mrs.  Stone, 
slowly,  "that,  like  Gehazi  of  old,  cov- 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  179 

etousness  will  bring  upon  him  an  aw- 
ful penalty.  As  the  leprosy  fastened 
upon  Geliazi  and  his  family,  I  would  be 
afraid  a  like  terrible  disease  would  fas- 
ten upon  me  and  my  family,  if  I  should 
do  such  a  thing." 

"  That's  too  terrible  to  think  about," 
said  Lucy,  tremblingly,  for  her  thoughts 
were  of  the  young  doctor,  and  she  shud- 
dered to  think  of  the  consequences  if  lie 
should  become  intemperate." 

"It  is  not  so  terrible,  my  sister,  to 
think  about  danger  ahead,  and  avoid  it, 
as  it  is  to  endure  its  pangs.  Don't  be 
frightened,  darling,  but  there  is  danger 
of  just  such  a  consequence  attending  the 
doctor  and  his  family.  God  has  cursed 
the  man  that  puts  the  bottle  to  his 
neighbor's  lips.  I  have  never  heard  of 
that  curse  being  recalled.  Use  your  in- 
fluence with  Jehu  to  persuade  his  father 


180  GREEN    BLUFF. 

to  close  up  that  sink-hole  in  his  store- 
rooms. It  is  doing  as  much  harm  aa 
all  the  other  saloons  put  together — un- 
less it  is  Patterson's — just  because  of  its 
respectability,  so  called." 

Lucy  sat  musing.  A  tear  trembled 
on  her  eye-lids.  Choking  sobs  rose,  but 
she  pressed  them  back,  and  brushed  the 
tears  from  her  eyes,  and  persuaded  her 
self  that  it  was  foolish  to  weep  ovei 
imaginary  evils.  Despite  her  efforts, 
though,  thoughts  of  the  doctor  as  a 
common  drunkard,  brought  tears  and 
choking  grief  again  and  again. 

"  Let's  talk  of  something  more  pleas- 
ant," said  Mrs.  Stone,  after  a  few  min- 
utes' silence.  "Lucy  has  just  come, 
and  we  must  not  throw  a  cloud  over  her 
path  in  the  start." 

•l  I  wish  you  could  have  been  here,"  she 
continued,  addressing  Lucy,  "  the  night 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  181 

your  brother  was  received  into  the 
church.  It  was  a  joyful  evening  to  me. 
I  had  prayed  long  for  just  such  a  step 
on  his  part.  I  feel  so  much  more  se- 
cure now  since  he  has  taken  our  blessed 
Jesus  to  be  his  Guide."  Her  voice 
trembled  with  emotion,  and  tears  of  joy 
chased  each  other  down  her  checks, 
while  her  husband  fervently  respond- 
ed— "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and 
let  all  that  is  within  me  praise  his  holy 
name ! " 

"  Ah !  mother,  I  have  felt  the  influ- 
ence of  those  prayers,  and  have  treas- 
ured up  the  words  of  instruction  you 
have  given  me.  The  religion  you  urged 
upon  me,  found  a  living  testimony  in 
the  lives  of  you  and  father  and  Lucy  I 
could  not  have  resisted,  if  I  wanted  to 
-which  I  didn't." 

The  young  man  arose  and  pressed  a 


182  GREEN    BLUFF. 

warm  kiss  on  the  wrinkled  face  of  bis 
mother,  and  felt  himself  honored  in  the 
privilege,  and  then  added,  with  feeling: 

"  How  grateful  I  am !  This  after- 
loon,  as  I  came  from  the  mines,  I  saw 
several  young  men  about  my  age, 
lounging  in  front  of  the  billiard  hall, 
bloated  and  filled  with  whisky,  some  of 
them  rolling  on  the  dirty  pavement,  and 
all  of  them  swearing  and  quarreling, 
and  I  said  to  myself,  '  See  what  a  pious 
father  and  mother,  and  God's  grace 
hr»ve  done  for  you.  If  it  were  not  for 
these,  you  might  have  been  in  their 
pkoc.'" 

"True,"  said  his  father,"  these  have 
beeii  great  helps — but  you  could  have 
been  there,  anyhow.  God  made  you  a 
free  u^ent.  Much  depends  on  our  own 
will  in  such  matters,  and  much  depends 
on  parental  instruction.  Neither  the 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  183 

eL  Id  or  parent  is  free  to  neglect  every 
mrAiis  of  salvation." 

"I  have  another  source  of  thankful 
ness,"  added  Walter,  pausing  a  moment. 

"What  now?" 

"One  of  the  partners  in  the  mine, 
wishes  to  withdraw,  and  the  others  offer 
to  take  me  in." 

"  That's  quite  a  compliment,  I  am  sure 
— but  then  you  can't  accept  the  offer, 
can  you  ?  you  haven't  the  money,  have 
you  ? "  said  his  father,  while  Lucy  and 
his  mother  watched  his  beaming  face. 

"  Don't  need  any  money,  just  now.  I 
am  to  put  my  labor  in,  instead  of  money. 
Of  course,  I  will  receive  more  or  less, 
according  to  the  .profits;  but  I  am  cer- 
tain I  will  receive  more  than  my  present 
salary — besides,  it  will  be  a  permanent 
situation.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  when 
I  expressed  surprise  at  the  offer,  thev 


184  GREEN    BLUFF. 

all  remarked,  that  sober,  steady  young 
men  were  so  scarce,  that  they  were  dis- 
posed to  show  a  preference  for  such,  not 
only  as  a  reward,  but  to  exert  a  good  in- 
fluence  over  the  wild  ones,  showing  that 
places  of  honor  and  profit  are  always 
open  to  honesty  and  industry." 

"Well,  well"  said  Mrs.  Stone, 
thoughtfully. 

"  My  precious  brother  !  "  said  Lucy, 
throwing  her  arms  around  Lis  neck. 

During  this  conversation,  Dr.  Thomaa 
was  in  Jones'  saloon,  leaning  over  the 
counter,  talking  with  the  proprietor. 
Looking  at  his  watch,  he  said, 

u  Nearly  seven !  I  must  be  off.  Have 
an  engagement  to-night.  The  sweetest 
girl  in  town,  too,  Jones." 

"  So  ?  Going  to  propose  to-night,  eh ! " 

"  Pshaw !  no  ;  that's  settled  long  ago, 
Let's  have  a  little  more  of  that  gin 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  185 

Now,  some  spice,  cloves,  or  something. 
Must  be  very  careful,  where  she  is 
That  is,  until  the  knot  is  tied,  and  then 
I'll  do  as  I  please — but  yet  awhile  must 
not  let  her  know  I  ever  take  any  thing 
stronger  than  water.  Can  you  smell 
any  thing?"  So  saying,  he  puffed  his 
breath  into  the  face  of  the  saloon-keeper. 
He  had  taken  at  least  one  glass  too 
much  already,  else  he  never  would  have 
BO  demeaned  himself. 

"  Nothing  but  cloves,"  Jones  replied, 
and  dared  not  show  his  disgust  for  the 
ungentlemanly  act  of  the  doctor. 

"All  right,  then  —  here  we  go  for 
Stone's." 

"  He  is  a  goner,  sure"  said  Jones  to 
himself  as  his  customer  passed  out.  "It 
will  not  be  a  year  until  he  is  in  the  ditch, 
at  the  rate  he  is  going  now.  But  what 
need  I  care  ?  he  is  paying  a  good  portion 


186  GREEN  BLUFF. 

of  my  rent  each  month,  and  probabili- 
ties are  he  will  pay  it  all,  by-and-by." 

It  has  been  a  year  since  Lucy  and  the 
doctor  parted.  No  wonder,  then,  her 
heart  refuses  to  be  still  and  the  blood 
mounts  to  her  face  at  every  step  heard 
on  the  street.  He  hastens  on  as  rapidly 
its  possible.  He  paints  in  mind  the  wel- 
come he  will  receive,  and  laughs  to  him- 
self in  joy.  Fearful  of  detection,  he 
uses  every  available  means  to  remove 
the  smell  of  liquor. 

A  rap  is  heard.  Lucy  answers  the 
summons. 

"John,  my  darling !" 
"  Lucy  !  my  own  sweet  one  1 " 
Their  lips  meet.      A  sudden  tremor 
runs  along  every  nerve  of  Lucy,  and  a 
deathly  paleness   drives  the  rose  tints 
from   her   cheek.     The   doctor   sees   it, 
and  hastens  her  to  the  sofa. 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  187 

"  Lucy,  what's  the  matter  ?  You  are 
so  pale,  and  trembling  like  a  leaf  in  the 
winds  of  Winter." 

"  Nothing,  John,"  and  her  head  falls 
on  his  shoulder,  only  to  raise  again  as 
if  stung  by  an  adder.  Rising  suddenly 
she  stands  before  him  with  pallid  face, 
saying, 

"John,  my  dear  John !  tell  me  truly !" 

"Certainly,  my  dearest,  anything  you 
would  know." 

The  doctor  summoned  all  his  wits  and 
strength  to  talk  straight  and  soberly. 

"  Pardon  me,  if  I  wrong  you,  but" 

She  could  go  no  further,  but  sat  down, 
weeping. 

"  Speak  freely,  dear,  whatever  you 
have  to  say.  You  trouble  me  so,"  and 
a  look  of  pain  crossed  his  face. 

"John — I  am  foolish,  I  know;  but  we 
have  just  been  discussing  this  terrible 


188  GREEN    BLUFF. 

liquor  traffic,  and  I  thought  when  you 
came  I  inhaled  some  of  its  fumes." 

"  Ah !  my  dear,  you  must  trust  me 
more  than  that.  You  did  smell  some 
gin,  I  guess.  I  stopped  at  Jones'  on  some 
business,  and  he  insisted  on  my  tasting 
some  gin  he  had  received,  and  I  did  so : 
just  like  I  would  taste  any  drug,  to  test 
its  virtue,  that  is,  its  strength." 

The  last  part  was  a  deliberate  false- 
hood. Lucy,  in  her  simplicity,  received 
the  explanation  as  satisfactory,  and  hum- 
bly begged  pardon  for  having  suspected 
him.  He  complained  of  unusual  weari- 
ness that  night,  ascribing  fatiguing  rides 
that  day  as  the  cause,  and  left  much 
earlier  than  was  his  custom. 

Lucy  upbraided  herself  constantly  for 
her  suspicious  nature,  and  made  vows  to 
be  more  considerate  in  the  future.  Rash 
vows.  It  is  always  safe  to  keep  a  good 


A   TEMPERANCE    STOKY.  189 

distance  between  you  and  dangei  The 
wife  of  a  drunkard  suffers  untold  ago- 
nies. The  wife  of  a  genteel  tippler  is 
in  a  fair  way  to  become  the  wife  of  a 
drunkard.  No  girl  should  ever  receive 
the  attentions  of  a  man  that  has  so  far 
forgotten  his  manhood  as  to  barter  it  for 

o 

momentary  pleasure.  If  he  cares  not 
enough  for  her  love,  now,  to  refrain  for 
her  sake,  he  will  be  less  likely  to  do  so 
after  marriage. 

When  the  tendrils  of  woman's  affec- 
tion twine  about  a  congenial  spirit,  it  is 
like  death  to  break  them  loose ;  but  if 
the  object  of  her  affection  is  an  inebriate, 
she  must  prepare  to  suffer  death  itself 
if  she  unites  tier  fortunes  to  his.  Before 
the  vows  have  been  ratified  in  the 
presence  of  witnesses,  there  is  escape 
after  that,  none. 


190  GREEN    BLUFF 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

WHY  need  we  hesitate  in  our  narra 
tive  ?  Just  before  us  lies  a  dark  scene. 
We  would  willingly  close  our  eyes  and 
drop  the  pen,  if  by  so  doing  we  could 
clear  our  conscience.  We  are  describ- 
ing realities  and  not  fiction,  save  in  the 
matter  of  names.  We  can  not,  then, 
turn  aside. 

Kosa  Colbert  was  beloved  by  her 
teachers  and  almost  worshiped  by  her 
schoolmates.  She  inherited  all  of  her 
father's  natural  aptness  and  industry, 
and  her  mother's  beauty  and  winsome 
ways.  To  these  attractions  add  unusual 
attainments  at  school,  and  you  have  the 
cause  of  her  power  to  gain  and  retain 
friends.  In  the  Sabbath  school,  there 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  191 

was  no  better  pupil  for  regularity  of  at- 
tendance and  perfect  recitation. 

Several  Sabbaths  passed  during  the 
Summer,  and  she  was  absent  from  her 
class.  The  teacher  went  to  her  house 
to  learn  the  cause  of  her  absence. 

Her  visit  was  opportune. 

Rosa  opened  the  door  and  admitted 
the  visitor,  not  with  her  usual  bright 
face  and  cheery  voice,  but  with  a  shy 
look  and  a  trembling  voice.  Once  with- 
in the  room,  where  no  one  else  was  ex- 
cept the  teacher  and  pupil,  she  gazed  in 
astonishment  at  the  change  since  her 
last  visit, 

"Rosa,"  she  said,  holding  the  little 
girl's  hand  in  hers,  "  what  does  this 
mean?"  Well  she  might  ask  the  ques 
tion.  The  floor  was  bare,  not  a  picture 
adorned  the  wall ;  bureau  and  chairs 
were  gone;  curtains  from  the  windows 


192          GREEN  BLUFF. 

—which  place  was  supplied  by  news- 
papers. Rosa,  herself,  attired  in  a 
frock  that  was  little  less  than  patch- 
work, but  neat  withal. 

"My  dear  child,  what  does  thia 
mean  ? " 

"  Father  had  to  sell  them  all,  to  pay 
some  debts." 

"  Doesn't  he  make  enough  at  hia 
trade  to  support  his  family  ?  I  have 
always  heard  he  was  the  best  man  in 
the  mines." 

"  He  can't  work  all  the  time — he  is 
sick,"  said  Rosa,  while  the  tears  rolled 
down  her  cheeks,  and  sob  after  sob  es- 
caped her  lips. 

"  Sick  ?  Why  did  he  not  let  his  wanta 
be  known.  The  church  would  gladly 
have  helped  him." 

"  The  men  wouldn't  wait,  he  said." 

"  Wouldn't  wait  for  what  T 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  1D3 

"For  him  to  pay  them.  They  carne 
last  night  and  got  the  things.  We 
begged  them  to  let  us  keep  the  beds, 
for  ma — she  is  so  ill." 

"  Beds !  child ! — have  they  taken  beds, 
too." 

"Yes,  ma'm" — (a  sob). 

"  Who  was  so  inhuman  as  to  do  that?" 

"Mr.  Snow" — (sob  after  sob). 

"  What,  James  Snow,"  the  saloon 
keeper  1 " 

"  Yes,  ma'm " — (weeping  as  a  child 
only  can  when  nearly  heart-broken). 

"  For  what  does  your  pa  owe  him  ? " 

"For  rum." 

"My  dear,  dear  little  Rosa,  has  it 
came  to  this?  Your  father  a  drunkard  ! 
Heaven  have  mercy  upon  you,  and  send 
its  wrath  on  the  traffic  that  robs  wi\v.s 
of  food  and  drags  the  beds  from  under 
them  !  Oh !  the  inhuman  traffic !  Rosa 


104  GREEN    BLUFF. 

let  me  see  your  mother,  if  she  is  ill. 
Perhaps  I  may  do  her  good." 

•'  Oh,  no,  you  can't  help  her.  She 
says  you  can't,"  she  answered,-  pulling 
her  teacher  back,  as  she  started  toward 
the  bed-room  door. 

"  But  I  must  see  her." 

"Please  don't;  pa  said  he  would  whip 
me,  if  I  let  any  one  in.  Please  don't ! " 

But  in  vain;  the  lady  was  determined 
to  see  her,  and  pushing  open  the  door 
she  stood  before  the  sick  mother.  Two 
little  children,  younger  than  Rosa,  lay 
fast  asleep  on  the  floor.  Mrs.  Colbert 
was  lying  on  an  old  blanket  in  the  room, 
her  head  tied  up  in  a  handkerchief,  put 
on  by  Rosa.  She  was  quite  insensible 
at  times,  and  glared  out  of  her  eyes  as 
if  wild.  Removing  the  bandage,  to  bathe 
her  face  in  cold  water,  the  lady  started 
back  in  hoiTor  at  the  sight  of  a  deep  cut 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  195 

above  and  below  the  eye,  where  the 
drunken  husband  had  dealt  a  heavy 
blow  the  night  before.  Rosa  stooped 
and  kissed  the  feverish  lips,  again  and 
again,  and  bathed  the  hot  face  in  her 
own  hot  tears.  Recovering  from  the 
first  shock,  the  teacher  bathed  the  face 
and  hands,  and  left  to  procure  help  and 
necessaries. 

Need  we  tell  more?  -Returning  to 
consciousness,  she  begged  her  friends  not 
to  have  Colbert  arrested  and  tried.  She 
still  loved  him,  and  hoped  for  him  yet. 
Truly  has  it  been  said,  that  woman's 
love  is  like  the  ivy  which  clings  close 
to  the  dead  tree,  as  her  love  seems  to 
increase  for  its  object  as  others  seek  to 
destroy. 

"  How    could    Snow    have    the    heart 

to  do  such  a  thing  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Stone, 

\Vulk-r  was  telling  her  the  facts  as 


196  GREEN    BLUFF. 

he  learned  them  from  his  teacher. 
(Walter  was  now  Sunday-school  super 
intendent.) 

"  Would  you  ask  how  a  murderer 
could  have  the  heart  to  steal  ? "  was  his 
reply,  as  he  walked  the  floor  of  his 
mother's  room,  and  thought'  of  this 
scourge. 

There  seems  to  be  times -for  epidemic 
crime.  It  was  so  in  Green  Bluff. 

Charlie  Hayes  visited  Snow's  frequent- 
ly. It  was  late  one  afternoon  when 
he  returned.  His  sister  met  him  at 
the  gate,  and  playfully  clung  to  his  arm 
as  he  walked  in.  He  was  under  the  in- 
fluence of  liquor,  and  sought  to  shake 
her  off,  but  could  not.  He  sprang  upon 
the  steps  at  the  door,  and  in  a  moment 
of  anger  kicked  back  with  his  heavy 
boot.  He  walked  into  the  house  and 
sat  down.  His  sister  did  not  come.  A 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  197 

vague  uneasiness  filled  his  mind.  He 
went  to  the  door.  What  a  sight! 
stretched  on  the  ground  was  the  form  of 
his  darling  sister,  cold — dead  !  A  black 
spot  showed  the  place  where  the  blow 
fell.  The  sight  sobered  him — but  too 
late !  He  was  a  murderer  I  No  one  saw 
the  deed  but  the  sleepless  eye  of  God. 
He  could  escape.  He  could  tell  that 
she  fell  headlong  from  the  steps.  He 
did  neither.  Under  the  impulse  of  bet- 
ter feelings,  he  picked  up  the  precious 
burden  and  told  his  mother  all  the  facts. 
For  months  her  heart  had  ached  for  her 
boy,  and  now  it  seemed  bursting.  On 
his  knees,  by  her  side,  he  begged  par- 
don, and  promised  to  leave  forever  the 
cup.  His  sorrow  was  deep  and  pungent. 
A  few  friends  were  called  in ;  to  them 
were  intrusted  the  facts.  All  were  anx- 
ious to  do  any  thing  that  Wv/uld  sav« 


198  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Charlie,    not   only  from    imprisonment 
for  life,  but  from  a  drunkard's  grave— 
which  is  far  worse.     Of  the  first,  there 
were  no  fears,  as  there  was  no  one  to 
prosecute  him — and   if  there  had  been, 
there  were  no  witnesses.     To  save  his 
character,  to  rescue  him  from  a  life  of 
shame — they   all    united.     The    corpse 
was  carried  to  the  cemetery,    and  laid 
away  in  its  narrow  home.     Who  can  tell 
the   burden   that   rested    on    Charlie's 
heart  ?     Could   he   ever    again    drink  a 
glass  of  beer  without  seeing  the  sweet 
face  of  his  sister  dancing  in  every  bead 
of  its  foam  ?     Could  he  ever  again  see 
Patterson,  without  thinking  he  was  the 
prime  cause  of  all  his  misery  ?     It  seems 
not.       Could    Snow    ever    hour    of   Col- 
bert's family  without  feeling  in  his  in- 
most soul  condemned  for  robbing  them 
of  their  alH     Can  a  wolf  feel  remorse 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  199 

at  the  destruction  of  a  child  it  attacks 
and  devours  in  the  forest  ?  Yes,  it  may 
feel  sad  that  it  is  gone  so  soon:  so 
may  the  other. 

There  was  a  saloon  situated  in  a  side 
street.  Many  persons  frequented  this 
place,  because  of  its  seclusion. 

One  afternoon,  late,  just  as  the  sun 
was  sinking  out  of  sight,  a  wagon  drove 
up  to  this  place;  a  lady"  and  two  little 
children  dismounted,  and  went  into  the 
den.  What  a  sad  face  was  hers !  the 
tear-stain  yet  on  it ;  the  color  all  gone ; 
voice  trembling  with  emotion ;  frame 
shaking  with  fear  and  smothered  ansrer. 

o  o 

She  pushed  open  the  door.  The  keep- 
er looked  up  amazed.  The  loungers 
leered  from  their  red  eyes.  She  no- 
ticed none,  but  gazed  anxiously  around 
the  room.  A  cry  of  pain,  scarcely  audi- 
ble, burst  from  her  lips.  She  passed 


200  GREEN    BLUFF. 

swiftly  across  the  room  to  the  cornel 
where  a  well-dressed  farmer  sat  dozing. 
His  head  hung  down,  his  hat  drooped 
over  his  eyes,  his  hair  was  disheveled, 
and  his  body  swayed  to  and  fro  under 
the  influence  of  liquor  and  sleep.  It 
was  her  husband,  the  father  of  the  little 
boy  and  girl  that  clung  to  the  woman. 

Oh !  the  agony  of  that  wife's  heart. 
She  spoke  not  a  word — she  could  not ; 
her  grief  mounted  up  like  great  stones 
in  her  throat,  and  prevented  utterance. 
Taking  him  by  the  arm,  she  lifted  him  to 
his  feet,  and,  bearing  part  of  his  weight, 
led  him  to  the  door — out  of  it — and 
helped  him  into  the  wagon,  after  repeat- 
ed  efforts  in  vain  on  his  part.  Once  in, 
he  fell  like  a  log,  and  remained  there, 
while  she  drove  home,  the  children 
clinging  close  on  either  side. 

Righteous  Heaven !  is  there  no  slum- 


A   TEMPERANCE   STORY.  201 

bering  vengeance  for  the  wretches  that 
thus  deliberately  break  frail  wives' 
hearts,  and  make  beggars  of  children  ! 

When  the  door  closed  behind  the  re- 
treating form  of  the  woman,  what  a  de 
mon-like  "  Ha !  ha  !  "  burst  from  the 
lips  of  the  bar-tender.  Yea,  even  while 
she  was  in  his  presence,  what  a  devilish 
smile  covered  his  face,  and  what  con- 
tempt inspired  his  heart.  Call  him  a 
man  !  Never !  Call  him  a  gentlemen ! 
Never !  Call  his  business  respectable  ! 
Yes,  you  may  when  it  is  respectable  to 
insult  wives  and  mothers  on  the  street, 
and  cast  them  down  to  laugh  at  their 
helplessness  when  in  the  hands  of  a 
strong,  brutish  man. 

O  !  Thou  !  the  habitation  of  whose 
throne  is  justice  and  mercy!  shall  not 
these  slayers  of  mankind  and  tramplersi 
of  woman's  affection,  feel  the  burning 


202  GREEN    BLUFF. 

stroke  of  Thy  long-delayed  wrath? 
From  out  the  heavens  comes  the  re- 
sponse— "  Vengeance  is  mine ;  I  will 
repay,  saith  the  Lord." 

Only  a  few  days  elapsed,  until  another 
victim  was  added  to  the  already  large 
list.  A  farmer  brought  his  wheat  to 
mill.  He  drove  a  team  of  spirited 
horses.  In  the  afternoon,  scarcely  able 
to  sit  erect  in  his  wagon — so  drunk  was 
he — he  went  to  the  mill  for  his  flour, 
received  it,  and  started  home.  A  pass- 
ing train  of  cars  frightened  the  horses, 
and  they  dashed  away,  caring  for  his 
control  no  more  than  for  that  of  a  child. 
In  their  wild  career,  they  ran  astride  a 
hitching-post,  which  was  struck  by  the 
tongue  of  the  wagon.  The  owner  pitch- 
ed forward  over  the  front  end,  down 
under  the  horses'  heels,  and  was  kicked 
to  death,  his  head  being  trampled  to  a 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  203 

jelly.  Thus — drunken,  reeling — he  was 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  his  Judge  f 
111- fate  seemed  let  loose.  That  very 
night,  a  youth,  from  an  adjoining  vil- 
lage, attempted  to  board  a  train,  but, 
being  dizzy  with  drink,  he  walked  be- 
tween the  platforms,  instead  of  getting 
on  the  step.  The  train  moved  off.  His 
mangled  body  was  found  by  the  night- 
watch. 


.    904  GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IT  was  growing  late  in  the  evening 
The  moon  was  shining  bright.  Lucy 
stood  leaning  over  the  gate,  looking 
wistfully  down  the  street.  She  was 
awaiting  the  coming  of  two  loved  ones 
— John,  her  betrothed  husband,  and 
Walter,  her  darling  brother.  The  next 
day  she  was  to  leave  for  school,  to  be 
absent  for  a  whole  year.  She  had  seen 
but  little  of  the  doctor  this  vacation. 
His  practice  was  large,  he  said,  and  he 
could  not  tarry  long  when  he  did  call, 
and  his  calls  were  less  frequent  than 
formerly.  She  knew  nothing  of  the 
dreadful  habit  fastening  itself  upon 
him.  She  was  anxious  for  a  long,  fare- 
well visit  to-night.  There  was  so  much 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  205 

to  talk  about.  She  started  at  ever} 
form  she  saw  turning  the  comer  and 
coming  toward  her — thinking  each  time 
it  was  her  loved  one.  Minutes  length- 
ened into  an  hour.  At  last,  Walter's 
quick  step  was  heard,  and  his  noble 
form  seen  in  the  dim  light  of  the  moon. 
Seeing  her,  his  pace  slackened. 

"Dear  Walter,"  she  said,  "I  have 
waited  so  long  for  you  and- John.  This 
is  my  last  night  at  home,  you  know. 
What  has  kept  you  so  late  ? " 

"  I  stopped  at  the  barber-shop,  sister, 
and  had  to  wait  a  long  time  for  my 
turn." 

He  was  on  the  outside  of  the  gate; 
she  on  the  inside,  leaning  over  it,  and 
pressing  her  head  against  his.  Ilia 
eyes  were  averted.  A  slight  chill  ran 
through  his  frame. 

"You  are  cold,  dear.     Come  in." 


200  GREEN    BLUFF. 

"  No ;  not  yet.     I  am  not  cold." 

"  Why  do  you  tremble,  then  ? " 

"  I  am  a  little  nervous.  Your  going 
away  makes  me  so — perhaps,"  h^  added, 
with  a  faint  smile,  tenderly  caressing 
the  head  so  confidingly  resting  on  his 
arm. 

"  Why  doesn't  John  come  ? "  she  said, 
again  peering  down  the  street.  "  Per- 
haps, he  has  a  call  to  go  into  the  coun- 
try." 

"  Father,  help  me  !  Father,  strength- 
en her ! "  So  breathed  Walter. 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  him  ? " 

"Yes,  I  saw  him,  but  didn't  speak 
with  him." 

"  Why  didn't  you  ? " 

"Oh!  this  terrible  uirse  of  whisky," 
he  said,  apparently  not  noticing  her 
question. 

"Any  thing  new?"  she  asked,  divert 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  207 

cd  for  a  moment  from  her  thoughts  of 
the  doctor. 

"Yes;  there  is  something  new  every 
day,  it  seems  to  me.  Our  town  is  go- 
ing to  ruin  as  fast  as  the  days  come  and 
go.  This  evening  I  saw  a  sight  that 
made  my  blood  stand  still,  and  freeze 
almost  in  my  veins.  When  I  entered 
the  barber-shop,  under  Miller's  store,  I 
found  a  well-dressed,  intelligent-looking 
young  man,  stretched  out  on  the  bench, 
dead  drunk.  Occasionally  he  would 
rouse  up,  and  utter  profane  words, 
glare  wildly  about  the  room,  and  then 
lie  down  again,  slobbering,  and  moan- 
ing, and  cursing." 

"  Oh  !  dear ;  what  a  scene ! "  said 
Lucy,  putting  her  hands  over  her  eyes, 
;ts  if  to  shut  it  out. 

"Then  he  would  get  up  and  vomit, 
besmearing  himself  and  the  floor.  At- 


208  GREEN    BLUFF. 

ter  a  few  minutes,  his  father,  a  gray- 
haired  old  man,  came  in,  and  with  such 
a  look  of  agony  and  shame  that  I  never 
want  again  to  see,  he  knelt  by  his  side, 
and  chafing  the  cold  hands,  called  hig 
son's  name.  He  was  answered  only  by 
a  stupid  glare  from  the  red  eyes.  He 
took  hold  of  his  arm,  and  endeavored  to 
raise  him,  but  he  fell  back,  unable  to 
stand." 

"Poor  old   man!"    said   Lucy,  earn 

estly. 

"Then,  calling  two  men,  he  hired 
them  to  carry  his  son  home,  while  -he 
walked  behind  them  with  me — so  agi- 
tated with  grief  that  he  could  walk  only 
by  leaning  heavily  on  my  arm." 

"  Oh  !  Walter:  then  you  know  them." 

"I  do." 

"  Who  were  they  ? " 

"  The  young  man  was  John  tn 

d 


A   TEMPERANCE   STOET.  209 

Walter  had  opened  the  gate,  and 
stood  by  his  sister's  side.  Well  he  did. 
She  did  not  faint.  She  said  not  one 
word.  But,  with  a  look  of  death,  she, 
by  his  assistance,  walked  into  the  par- 
lor, and  threw  herself  on  the  sofa. 

Can  I  describe  the  feelings  of  the 
group  that  gathered  around  her  ?  No. 
I  will  not  attempt  it.  Can  I  tell  the 
anguish  of  her  young  'heart?  No. 
Words  are  of  no  avail  in  such  cases. 

No  one  of  that  company  spoke  after 
Walter  finished  telling  his  parents  what 
he  had  just  told  Lucy.  Every  head  was 
bowed  with  grief  too  profound  for 
utterance — too  deep  to  be  relieved  by 
human  sympathy  They  all  knew  ex- 
perimentally of  an  unfailing  cure  foi 
grief  and  heart-ache.  To  the  Great  Phy 
sician  of  souls  they  went,  for  He  called 
*.hein  when  he  said,  "  Come  unto  me  al] 


210  GREEN    BLUFy. 

ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest."  They  went.  He 
lifted  up  their  bowed  spirits  and  healed 
the  broken  hearts.  But  days  and  weeks 
passed  before  Lucy  left  for  school. 
She  bore  her  pain  in  silence  at  the  foot 
of  the  Cross,  where  healing  streams 
abounded. 

The  doctor  was  carried  to  his  father's 
house,  where  he  remained  for  days. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  broken  down  in- 
deed. His  idol  was  cast  down.  The 
God  he  had  so  long  served  in  mockery, 
appeared  to  him  as  a  vengeful  being 
He  found  no  pleasure  in  his  service. 
He  saw  that  he  had  brought  the  wrath 
upon  his  own  head.  For  a  pittance  he 
sold  the  safety  of  his  own  son,  and  that 
of  hundreds  of  others.  Too  late  !  like 
Judas,  he  repented  of  his  sin,  and 
sought  to  atone  for  it,  by  returning  to 


A    TEMPERANCE   STORY.  211 

Jones  all  the  rent  he  had  received  from 
him,  if  he  would  close  up  and  leave. 
Jones  received  the  offer  with  contempt, 
and  said  thrice  that  amount  would  not 
induce  him  to  give  up  his  business. 

Mr.  Thomas  had  no  place  of  refuge, 
His  god — so  faithfully  served ;  his  god, 
Money — availed  him  naught ;  for  wheu 
he  offered  thrice  the  amount,  the  keeper, 
seeing  his  anxiety,  told  him  with  a  smile 
of  mingled  scorn  and  avarice,  that  ht> 
should  double  that  amount  before  he 
would  entertain  the  proposition.  Thomas 
saw  himself  in  the  hands  of  the  cunning, 
unscrupulous  man,  and  turned  away  in 
despair. 


GREEN    BLUFF. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  Winter  was  nearly  over.  Dur 
ing  its  stay,  crime  steadily  increased  in 
Green  Bluff.  Family  after  family  were 
sustained  by  public  money  or  private 
donations,  as  their  natural  supporters 
left  them  unprovided  for,  drinking  up 
not  only  their  own  earnings,  but  con- 
suming the  mites  which  their  wives 
earned  by  sewing  or  washing.  Yet  this 
wholesale  stealing  was  licensed  and  pro- 
tected by  law. 

Business  declined  in  every  depart- 
ment except  that  of  liquor.  The  dry- 
goods  merchant  and  family  grocer  look- 
ed in  vain  for  the  settlement  of  their 
accounts.  All  the  money  went  into 
the  coffers  of  the  dram-sellers.  Their 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  213 

places  of  business  were  crowded  day 
and  night.  Their  money-drawers  rat- 
tled with  the  silver  pieces,  and  theii 
wallets  stuck  out  with  bills.  Not  so 
the  honest  merchant;.  Statement  of 
accounts  came  in  from  his  wholesale 
creditor  with  a  "Please  remit,"  added 
as  a  P.  S.  But  there  was  nothing  to 
remit.  Send  their  goods  back  ?  Couldn't 
do  that,  as  they  were  gone — gone  to 
clothe  and  feed  the  families  of  the  men 
that  spent  their  substance  for  that 
which  was  not  bread,  and  their  money 
for  that  which  satisfied  not.  Again 
came  a  request  from  city  creditor  to 
send  note  for  the  amount.  This  was 
done  under  protest — but  it  must  be 
done  to  gain  a  little  time.  The  days 
sped  all  too  swiftly,  as  the  merchant 
looked  over  his  accounts  and  saw  the 
names  of  men  who  once  paid  their  billi 


GREEN    BLUFF. 

regularly,  but  who  now  paid  them 
never.  In  vain-  he  added  the  Debtor 
side  and  found  it  would  pay  all  his  bills, 
and  leave  a  handsome  balance  on  hand 
to  increase  his  cash  capital.  It  was  a 
mockery  1  He  was  as  a  man  in  a  pool 
of  clear  water,  dying  from  thirst,  but 
unable  to  satisfy  it,  as  the  waters  re- 
ceded from  him  whenever  he  stooped 
to  drink.  He  walked  his  office  in  grief, 
while  the  saloon  keeper  sat  in  his  easy 
chair,  and  puffed  his  cigar  in  peace. 
Yes — in  peace!  for  he  had  no  con- 
science to  trouble  him  with  thoughts 

O 

of  his  damnable  traffic  in  human  flesh 
and  blood  and  immortal  spirits.  That 
long  ago  was  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron, 
and  was  past  feeling. 

The  note  is  due.  The  money  in  the 
drawer  is  counted.  Not  half  enough  to 
pay  the  note.  It  is  sent  to  the  bank. 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  215 

They  present  it  for  payment.  The  mer- 
chant gathers  together  all  he  can,  and 
yet  there  is  not  enough.  Asks  the 
bank  clerk  to  wait  a  few  minutes,  while 
he  rushes  home  and  gets  his  wife's  gold 
piece  and  the  children's  pocket  money. 
But  in  vain.  Not  enough  yet.  The 
clerk  leaves.  Great  drops  of  perspira- 
tion stand  on  his  forehead.  He  excited- 
ly walks  the  floor;  nervously  turns  the 
pages  of  his  "  day-book,"  his  "  ledger,'1 
his  "cash-book,"  looks  over  "bills  re- 
ceivable," and  longs  to  see  some  of  them 
marked  paid.  Times  flies;  the -note  ia 
protested ;  he  is  ruined.  Why  ?  Be- 
cause he  is  honest?  He  has  been  rob- 
bed— but  no  one  believes  it.  The  saloon 
keeper  robbed  him  of  his  dues,  and  the 
town  council  protects  them  in  their  sys- 
tematic rol  tluTy.  He  h  im*e/f  helped  them 
to  rol  hitntu'lf — for  he  voted  for  license, 


21(5  GREEN    BLUFF. 

Crime,  we  say,  increased,  and  blas- 
phemy walked  openly  through  the 
streets. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  Spring.  The 
warm  sunshine  made  it  pleasant  out- 
doors. The  shades  of  night  were  just 
settling  over  the  village,  when  a  com- 
pany of  men  and  boys  gathered  in  front 
of  Patterson's  saloon.  In  the  centre  of 
the  group  were  three  persons  kneeling. 
Before  them,  on  a  small  box,  were  three 
glasses,  a  bottle  of  gin,  and  a  piece  of 
cake.  One  of  the  company,  in  mock 
reverence,  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven  and 
insulted  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  asking  His 
blessing  upon  them.  Pouring  out  the 
gin,  he  passed  a  glass  to  each  of  his 
companions,  and,  taking  one  himself,  he 
broke  a  piece  of  cake,  and  placed  it 
in  their  mouths,  and  then  commanded 
them  to  drink,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  217 

Christ,  the  Son  of  God ;  after  which  he 
prayed  in  earnestness  foi  a  descent  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  while  his  companions 
responded  in  loud  Amens  and  Hallelu- 
jahs. Then,  after  singing  a  hymn,  with 
impious  hands  outstretched,  he  pro- 
nounced the  benediction. 

Who  were  these  hardened  wretches? 
you  ask.  Don't  call  them  wretches — 
for  .only  a  few  months  ago  they  were 
the  chief  of  young  men  in  their  native 
town.  The  chief  actor,  was  John  Thorn 
as — now  a  confirmed  drunkard;  the 
other  two  were  Charlie  Hayes  and  his 
rival  in  school  honors,  now  his  rival  in 
debauchery,  Judas  Jambres. 

True  to  his  word,  Snow  sought  and 
slew  the  brightest  and  best  of  Green 
Bluff's  youth. 

Colbert  is  dead.  Attempting  to  de- 
scend to  his  work  one  morning,  while 


218  GREEN    BLUFF. 

drunk,  he  pitched  headlong  down  the 
shaft,  and  was  gathered  up  a  mass  of 
broken  bones  and  quivering  flesh.  Hia 
wife  mourns.  She  is  freed'  from  his 
cruelty — but  she  cannot  forget  the 
handsome  face,  the  strong  arm,  the 
warm  heart  she  wedded.  She  remem- 
bers that,  when  not  drunk,  her  hus 
l>and  was  as  kind  to  her  as  a  mother  to 
her  infant.  It  was  the  demon  that  en- 
tered his  heart  through  his  mouth, 
that  made  him  the  brute  he  was  while 
intoxicated. 

Wise  still  lives,  the  attorney  of  all 
the  saloon  keepers.  He  lives,  but  only 
to  become  a  debased  sot.  The  grave  of 
a  drunkard  awaits  him  as  certainly  as 
that  death  comes  to  all  men.  His  rubi- 
cund face  and  blooming  nose  are  unmis- 
takable signs. 

Templeton   and   Furtherton    look   in 


A   TEMPERANCE    STORY.  219 

dismay  at  the  destruction  their  voice 
aud  uplifted  hands  started  and  can  not 
stop. 

All  the  saloon  keepers  await  the  on- 
coming wrath  of  a  just  God,  as  uncon- 
cernedly as  the  dumb  cattle  await  the 
plunge  of  the  butcher's  knife ;  but  their 
doom  is  as  certainly  fixed  as  that  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  when  ten  righ- 
teous men  could  not  be  found  in  their 
midst.  The  lovers  of  holiness  and 
peace,  having  uttered  their  warnings  in 
vain,  can  only  withdraw  to  the  moun- 
tains of  security,  and  await  the  descent 
of  the  purifying,  and  destroying  flames. 
It  will  come. 

Lucy  passes  through  a  cloud,  but  it  will 
lift  in  mercy,  and  show  her  a  heart  warm 
and  true,  an  arm  strong  and  steady, 
waiting  to  be  her  guide  and  protector, 
her  comforter.  With  him  she  will  gc 


220  GREEN    BLUFF 

to  bless  the  world  by  her  pure  life  and 
teachings.  A  wide  field  opens  up  be- 
fore  her.  Her  experience  in  suffering, 
has  deepened  the  already  full  stream  of 
sympathy  in  her  heart,  and  has  intensi- 
fied her  hatred  for  the  accursed  traffic. 
Her  life  will  be  light  and  shade  com- 
mingled. Her  joy  will  be  the  purest  and 
deepest ;  her  griefs  softened  by  the  pres- 
ence of  one  noble,  true  heart  —  James 
Gibson — son  of  her  beloved  pastor,  who 
is  himself  a  young  minister,  with  all  the 
ardor  of  his  father,  and  with  his  deep, 
abiding  enmity,  to  the  demon — Drink. 

Walter  has  come  up,  from  humble 
parentage,  to  occupy  a  place  of  honor  in 
the  business  world.  He  has  not  foro-ot- 

o 

ten  his  former  self,  as  a  miner,  and  in 
him  the  laboring  man  finds  a  true  friend 
Already  he  has  begun  his  labors  in  the 
temperance  movement,  with  a  determin- 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  221 

ation  to  spare  neither  time  nor  labor  un 
til  Green  Bluff  is  freed  from  the  incubus 
of  licensed  whisky  shops.  His  income 
increases  each  year.  A  part  of  it  ha>> 
been  expended  in  purchasing  a  control 
ling  interest  in  the  Green  Bluff  Herald^ 
which  immediately  commenced  a  war- 
fare against  the  traffic.  He  has  not  for- 
gotten the  influence  of  the  press  and 
rostrum,  in  freeing  our  nation  from  the 
black  curse  of  human  slavery,  and  has, 
as  far  as  possible,  laid  both  under  trib- 
ute, to  aid  in  wiping  out  a  slavery  more 
fearful  in  its  consequences  that  that, 
since  it  sells  the  immortal,  and  not  the 
mortal  nature,  simply. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone  live  to  see  the 
truth  of  the  proverb,  "Train  up  a  child 
in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he 
is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it ; "  and 
to  know  that  the  sustaining  power  of 


222  GREEN    BLUFF. 

God's  grace,  is  the  only  true  safeguard 
against  the  attacks  of  the  devil. 

Green  Bluff,  as  a  city,  exists,  a  mourn 
ful  example  of  the  ruinous  effects  of 
licensed  crime.  Her  streets,  are  in 
need  of  repairs.  Her  treasury  is  empty, 
and  the  city  in  debt.  With  a  police 
force,  she  fails  to  preserve  order,  as  her 
Sabbaths  are  desecrated  with  impunity. 
With  her  faithful  and  able  ministers, 
she  fails  to  rescue  the  youth  from  sin, 
as  there  are  three  saloons  for  every 
church  and  a  score  of  temptations  to  go 
astray  for  every  warning  and  induce- 
ment to  follow  virtue.  Her  beautiful 
park  is  no  more  a  place  of  quiet  resort. 
Its  beauty  is  marred.  Weeds  growing 
rank,  have  succeeded  the  clean,  velvety 
sward.  Where  once  was  the  song  of 
praise,  is  heard  the  voice  of  swearing. 

Her  laboring  men  no  more  gather  to 


A    TEMPERANCE    STORY.  223 

drink,  under  Heaven's  blue  arch,  the 
clear,  cooling  water,  when  the  day's 
work  is  done ;  then,  to  separate,  to  go 
home  to  happy  wives  and  delighted 
children,  and  pleasant  homes :  but 
gather  in  the  grog  shops,  behind  the 
green  screen,  to  drink  liquid  death,  and 
with  oaths  separate  to  go  home  to  weep- 
ing, heart-broken  wives,  half-frightened 
children,  and  desolate  homes. 


THB    BBTB. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


DISCHARGE-l  RL 


. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  UBnAHY  F«jUJY 


A  000  909  804  7 


HV 

5068 

S?12g 


— 


